‘Ye kya nautanki hai’ – Fans react as Tamim Iqbal withdraws his retirement after meeting Bangladesh PM

On July 6, Tamim Iqbal, a veteran batter from Bangladesh, announced his retirement from international cricket. During the announcement, he broke down in tears. The brilliant left-handed opener had been playing well for the country for several years but suddenly announced his retirement, surprising the cricket community.

Meanwhile, now, Tamim has changed his decision and announced that he will not be retiring after Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina personally intervened and spoke with him. On Friday, July 7, Tamim met her at the PM’s mansion, where former Bangladeshi captain Mashrafe Mortaza, the president of the BCB, and Tamim’s wife were also present.

It was not a sudden decision: Tamim Iqbal

The 2023 ODI World Cup is scheduled to begin on October 5 in India, and it is thought that the PM pushed the batter to play more because Tamim’s inclusion in the team will undoubtedly enable them to perform well in the major event. On July 6, when he announced his retirement, Tamim said that although he had given the game his all, it was now the end for him.

“This is the end for me. I have given my best. I have tried my best. I am retiring from international cricket at this moment. Yesterday (Wednesday) against Afghanistan was my last international game. I am retiring from international cricket effective right now. It was not a sudden decision. I was thinking about the different reasons. 

I don’t want to mention it here. I have spoken to my family members about it. I thought this was the right time for me to retire from international cricket. I want to thank all my teammates, coaches, BCB officials, family members, and those who have been with me through my long journey. They kept faith in me. I also want to thank the fans. Your love and faith in me inspired me to give my very best for Bangladesh. I want to ask for your prayers for the next chapter of my life. Please keep me in your prayers,” Tamim was quoted as saying by Sportstar.

Here’s how fans reacted: