Tamim Iqbal’s Sudden Medical Emergency on the Cricket Field
The cricket world was stunned when Tamim Iqbal collapsed during a Dhaka Premier League (DPL) match on March 24, 2025. With the game barely underway, Tamim, playing his first outing as captain for Mohammedan Sporting Club, complained of chest pain after fielding just one over. In an instant, what should have been a routine day on the pitch took a sharp, dramatic turn.
During those tense moments on the field, the coaching staff and on-site physiotherapist moved fast—administering chest compressions and delivering a DC shock straight away. Tamim himself later credited those first responders and the effectiveness of their CPR for saving his life. "If they hadn’t given CPR properly, I wouldn’t have survived," he admitted, his words resonating beyond cricket circles and reminding people of the difference immediate action can make.
Rushed to Hospital, Emergency Angioplasty, and the Road to Recovery
As Tamim’s condition worsened, plans were set to airlift him to a larger hospital. But even that proved too risky—doctors decided against flying him due to his unstable state. Instead, he was rushed by road to KPJ Specialised Hospital in Savar. Time was precious. There, doctors discovered his heart wasn’t getting enough blood. Within hours, he underwent an emergency angioplasty, a procedure where doctors fitted a stent to open his blocked artery.
After initial stabilization, Tamim was transferred to KPJ Evercare Hospital in Dhaka for specialized cardiac care. He spent four days under the watchful eyes of the country’s top heart specialists. Regular scans and echocardiograms showed that, for now, his heart was functioning normally. Dr. Abdul Wadud Chowdhury, Evercare’s medical director, noted that nothing abnormal had been found in current tests. But he also warned that there was no certainty about Tamim’s ability to deal with the physical stresses of professional cricket in the immediate future.
The medical board is giving Tamim three to four months to focus on recovery and rehabilitation before reassessing his fitness for cricket. This means fans will have to wait until late June or July 2025 to see if the left-handed opener can even consider returning to competitive play. Everyone involved is walking a fine line between hope and caution.
At 35, Tamim has already logged more than 14,000 international runs. The DPL incident brought a new perspective on cricketers' lives off the records and statistics—especially since Tamim was making his captaincy debut for Mohammedan Sporting Club during that very match. His story has started bigger conversations about health care infrastructure at local sporting events and how even elite athletes remain vulnerable to sudden medical emergencies.
For the moment, Tamim is at home with his family, grateful to be alive and making steady progress. Decisions about his cricket career will come later, led by medical advice and his own willpower. But one thing is certain—his quick rescue shows how crucial on-field medical preparedness and CPR training are, whether you’re at a local club match or an international fixture.
