Veteran Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal has lashed out at the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s speculations about him playing in the T20I side, indicating that the board has been presenting lies to the public.

This comes after Tamim excluded himself from the T20I format going to the T20 World Cup. Tamim had said that he intends to focus on playing Test and ODIs and stay away from the T20I side till the World Cup.

He had announced his call in January this year and had said that he would return to the team only if the BCB asks him. His decision came after Bangladesh got bashed at the T20I World Cup 2021 in the UAE.

Over the past couple of months, BCB has stated that they have tried to hold talks with Iqbal about returning to the T20I side, but the ODI skipper has not reverted.

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Iqbal lashed out in front of the media on Sunday, saying that he has not been given any chance to explain his side.

''Nobody gives me a chance to explain my plan regarding my T20s. Either you [media] say it or someone else tells it [regarding my T20's future] and let it move like this because I am not given any chance [by the board] to tell anything. I play for so long at least I deserve it, what I feel or think they should hear it from me,'' Tamim told reporters at Dhaka.

''But either you [media] give some kind of notion or someone (board) else tells something. And as they say something I don't have anything to say,'' Tamim said.

With the T20 World Cup in Australia approaching, Bangladesh needs to settle on a combination. The board has been at the receiving end of sharp criticism for the quality of their pitches and for the brawl between the player and the president.

Tamim will be travelling with the Bangladesh Test team for their upcoming tour against the West Indies.

(India Today inputs)