Tamim announces his retirement from international cricket

Bangladesh's star batsman, Tamim Iqbal, has announced his retirement from international cricket, putting an end to widespread speculation about his potential return for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy.

In a social media post, Tamim confirmed that his international cricket journey has come to a close. "I have been away from international cricket for quite some time, and that distance will not be bridged. My journey in international cricket is over," he wrote.

Tamim revealed that he had been contemplating this decision for a long period and wanted to ensure it wouldn't distract the team, especially with the Champions Trophy approaching. "I don’t want discussions about me to affect the team’s focus during such a major tournament. That’s why I stepped away from the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) central contract over a year ago. Despite this, there were unnecessary speculations," he added.

Although Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed a desire for Tamim and other senior players to join the squad for the Champions Trophy, Tamim followed his heart and made the decision to retire. "I am grateful to the selectors and Shanto for wanting me back. But after reflecting, I realized the time has come to move on," he stated.

Tamim also mentioned that being excluded from the 2023 World Cup squad was a shock for him. The left-handed batter had last played for the national team over a year ago. "To my son, I say: 'When you grow up, you’ll understand your father’s decision,'" he added.

Tamim enjoyed a remarkable 16-year career with Bangladesh, scoring over 15,000 runs in international cricket and setting a record of 25 centuries—the most by any Bangladeshi player.