Bangladesh's opening batsman, Tamim Iqbal, has officially announced his retirement from international cricket. The left-handed player has represented Bangladesh in 387 matches across all formats, concluding his career with a total of 15,192 runs. He ranks as the second-highest run-scorer for Bangladesh in international cricket, following wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim.

Tamim Iqbal made his retirement announcement via Facebook, stating, "I have been away from international cricket for a long time. That distance will remain. My chapter in international cricket is over. I have been contemplating this for an extended period."

This announcement marks the second occasion on which Tamim Iqbal has declared his retirement. He initially stepped away from the sport in July 2023 but later retracted that decision.

"With a significant event like the Champions Trophy approaching, I do not wish to divert attention away from the team, which could potentially disrupt their focus. I had hoped to avoid this situation previously as well," he remarked.

'Was asked to return'

Tamim Iqbal also disclosed that captain Najmul Hossain Shanto had encouraged him to return to the national team. Nevertheless, he chose to follow his own instincts.

"Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto earnestly requested my return to the squad. There were also discussions with the selection committee. I am thankful for their continued consideration of me. However, I have chosen to heed my own heart," he explained.

In his statement, Tamim Iqbal expressed his disappointment regarding his absence from the 2023 ODI World Cup, noting, “What transpired before the 2023 World Cup was a significant shock for me, as my exclusion was not due to my performance in cricket.”

At 35 years of age, Tamim Iqbal has accumulated 5,134 runs in 70 Test matches, over 8,000 runs in 243 One Day Internationals, and 1,758 runs in T20 Internationals. His final international appearance for Bangladesh was against New Zealand in September 2023.

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