Tamim Iqbal Bids Farewell—A Chapter Closes for Bangladesh Cricket
When a country's all-time leading run-scorer calls it quits weeks before a global tournament, it's bound to stir up emotion and debate. On January 10, 2025, Tamim Iqbal hung up his international boots for good, just as fans were gearing up for the Champions Trophy. It’s not every day you see a player who’s poured years into the national setup—over 15,000 runs and 25 centuries, to be exact—walk away at a time like this.
This wasn’t Tamim’s first brush with retirement. Fans still remember July 2023, when he shocked everyone by stepping away, only to recommit to Bangladesh cricket after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina personally intervened. This time, though, no amount of persuasive calls from selectors or heartfelt requests from current captain Najmul Hossain Shanto could sway his decision. Tamim held firm, saying he didn’t want gossip about his return distracting the squad as they prepare for the Champions Trophy. He wanted everyone’s focus centered on the team’s performance, not his own story.
Even after missing international play for over a year, the door had cracked open again, thanks to ongoing campaigns from selectors and teammates. Bangladesh clearly saw his scoring power—spread out over 70 Tests, 243 ODIs, and 78 T20Is—as an asset too great to overlook. He’s the only Bangladeshi to have centuries in every format, making his number 1 spot in run tallies all the more meaningful. If you're a cricket fan in Bangladesh, odds are some of your greatest memories have Tamim in them—whether it's his Test hundred on debut against New Zealand, or his fearless batting on tough wickets in ODIs.
Controversy, Milestones, and a New Phase for Tamim
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing, though. Tamim’s abrupt exclusion from Bangladesh’s 2023 World Cup squad caused a media storm. The saga spilled into the public when captain Shakib Al Hasan slammed his decision-making as ‘childish’—the kind of blunt criticism that rarely sees daylight in Bangladesh cricket. Even now, people debate whether the team missed his presence and experience during the high-pressure tournament.
After stepping away, Tamim gave selectors and fans a brief glimmer of hope. Captain Shanto and others tried to talk him into lacing up his pads for one last go at global glory in the coming Champions Trophy. But at 35, having already experienced the mental strain of public comebacks and retirements, Tamim stuck to his guns. He admitted the selectors believed he could help, but he insisted his time was up, that the next chapter belonged to the new generation.
For now, he isn’t completely out of the game—he’s still leading Fortune Barishal in the Bangladesh Premier League, showing he’s lost none of his competitive spark. Yet, for Bangladesh fans, Tamim’s retirement truly ends an era. Replacing the runs, leadership, and memories left behind by the country’s most iconic batter will be no easy task, especially with the Champions Trophy looming large on the cricket calendar.
