Tamim Iqbal, the opening batsman for Bangladesh,
acknowledged that his back pain persisted despite his return to competitive
cricket in the current ODI series against New Zealand. His prior back issues
had caused him to be disqualified from the Asia Cup and even forced him to
resign as captain.
Tamim was looking forward to his comeback to the field
after receiving therapy in England that included many injections to correct a
damaged disc between the L4 and L5 vertebrae. Players can usually participate
without any restrictions for several months after receiving the medication. The
agony endures despite his optimistic recovery.
“It felt good to be on the field again,”
Tamim said after the second ODI against NZ. “It was a nice feeling to
field for 50 overs and bat for 20 overs but there’s still lots of discomfort in
my back. I’m working with our physio on it but the reality is, there’s still
pain.
“To be honest, I was nervous. Saying it was just
another match wouldn’t be accurate, especially considering the events of the
past few months. When I went to bat, I felt the nerves, but they went away
after the opening over.
“Whether I was batting or fielding, I needed to
spend time on the field to understand how my body was reacting. There were
difficulties, and there still are. I’m contemplating my future course of
action. When playing international cricket, I have to give my best, and I
strive to do so. It’s not as simple as walking onto the field and playing,
especially against a reputed bowling attack. I tried to give my all,”
Tamim added, mentioning that the medical team will soon decide on managing his
condition.
“The medical team will determine how best to
handle my situation. Since this can’t be completely resolved, we’ll have to
focus on alleviating it. I hope a suitable plan will be devised,” he
stated.