"I am not given any chance by the board to tell anything" - Tamim Iqbal on his future in T20I cricket
Bangladesh opening batter Tamim Iqbal has opened up about his future in the shortest format with the national team. The 33-year-old last played a T20I fixture against Zimbabwe at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium on March 9, 2020.
The veteran even pulled himself out of the 2021 T20 World Cup to ensure a fair chance for the batters who played in his absence. A long-standing knee injury forced him to miss several of Bangladesh's fixtures in the buildup to the tournament.
Back then, the opener had made it clear that he was not retiring from T20Is but he is yet to make an appearance in the format since.
"I want to make it clear that I am not retiring but I won't be playing this World Cup."
Tamim Iqbal to miss the ICC Men's @T20WorldCup 2021 👇
Stating that he has not been given a fair chance to voice his opinion concerning his career in T20 cricket, Iqbal told reporters during a private function in Dhaka on Sunday:
''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.''
He added:
''I play for so long at least I deserve it, what I feel or think they should hear it from me. 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."
However, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) cricket operations chairman Jalal Yunus' had earlier stated that they had staged talks with the batter.
Jalal told reporters that the board have asked the senior player to return in time for the 2022 T20 World Cup, and are currently awaiting a response.
"I don't see any reason why I should bat at number four" - Tamim Iqbal
In the absence of Iqbal, the Bangladesh think-tank has experimented with the likes of Mohammed Naim, Munim Shahriar, Najmul Hossain and Saif Hassan in the opening slots.
With youth stacked at the top of the order, which arguably suits the long-term plan, team batting coach Jamie Siddons had implied that Iqbal would be a perfect fit for the No.4 position in the batting order.
I can’t express the feelings in words. This is special for me both as a player & captain. A special for Bangladesh cricket.
The dedication & ambition was clear before we reached South Africa & Alhamdulillah we’ve achieved it. So proud of this unit and others who are back home. https://t.co/KZgyAcjXYu
Strongly refuting the suggestion of him batting in the middle-order, Iqbal said:
''About me batting four I don't see any reason why should I bat at number four. I have been opening for 17 years and I have been doing quite well. So there is no chance (me batting at four)."
The veteran has played an active role in each of Bangladesh's last two series. However, his involvement in the shortest format is yet to be decided until the friction between the player and the board has ceased.