Tamim announces second international retirement, and this time it might probably be a permanent decision by all means.
Tamim announces retirement from international cricket the second time having previously retired in July 2023.
In Sylhet on Wednesday, he told the Bangladesh selectors what he had decided. He was asked to rejoin the Bangladeshi squad for the Champions Trophy by the selection panel, which was directed by Gazi Ashraf Hossain. According to reports, Tamim had promised them at the time that he would not change his mind about retiring, but he stayed a day longer after being asked to do so by several Bangladeshi players, notably captain Najmul Hossain Shanto.
“I have been away from international cricket for a long time,” he wrote on Facebook. “That distance will remain. My chapter in international cricket is over. I have been thinking about this for a long time. Now that a big event like the Champions Trophy is coming up, I do not want to be the focus of anyone’s attention, which could lead to the team losing their focus. Of course, I did not want this to happen before, too.
“Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto sincerely asked me to return to the team. There were discussions with the selection committee too. I am grateful to them for still considering me in the team. However, I have listened to my own heart.”
The BCB was willing to wait until the last minute to find out if Tamim wanted to compete, as the Champions Trophy rosters are due to be announced on January 12. Tamim’s domestic form and fitness kept him in the running. Although he hasn’t played for his country since, he has continued to play domestic cricket, winning the 2024 BPL with the Barishal team and taking home the Player of the Tournament award. He performed admirably in the Dhaka Premier League before going on to score more runs in the home NCL T20s and current BPL season as well.
Tamim stated that it was “unnecessary” for BCB to wait for his response. He chose not to participate in central contracts for 2024 in order to avoid being taken into account by Bangladesh.
“I removed myself from the BCB central contract a long time ago because I did not want to return to international cricket,” he wrote. “Many have said that I have left the matter hanging. Why would anyone discuss a cricketer who is no longer in BCB’s contracted list? I voluntarily stepped down more than a year ago.
“Even after that, there has been unnecessary discussion. The decision to retire or continue playing is the right of a cricketer or any professional sportsman. I have given myself time. Now I feel that the time has come.”