Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal won't be available for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the UAE and Oman, starting October 17. Tamim has withdrawn from the tournament considering he wasn't part of the T20I side recently.

The 32-year-old wants the player who replaced him to continue in the upcoming ICC showpiece tournament. ''As I did not play in the last 15 to 20 T20 matches, and whoever replaced me, I don't think it would be fair on them if I take their place," he said through a video message on Facebook.

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Tamim last played a T20I match for Bangladesh against Zimbabwe in March last year. He had suffered a knee injury in April during the Test series against Sri Lanka. 

The southpaw later missed the T20I series against Zimbabwe and Australia, and he is not part of the squad against New Zealand. However, Tamim clarified that he isn't retiring from the T20 format.

"I just called board president Papon bhai (Nazmul Hasan) and chief selector Nanno bhai (Minhajul Abedin) a few minutes back and said that I don't think I should be playing in the World Cup and I am not available for it. I have taken that decision and I will stick to it. I am not retiring. It is just that I am not available for this World Cup

''I think game-plan in one of the biggest reasons because I am not playing this format for a long time and second... (knee) injury, but I don't think that is a big problem because I feel I will be okay before the World Cup," he said.

(With Cricbuzz Inputs)