How the Tamim saga unfolded

In a shocking turn of events, Tamim Iqbal withdrew his decision to retire from international cricket after a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina just a day after announcing that he would call it quits. The following is a summary of how it all unfolded.

July 4, Tuesday

There were doubts over Tamim's fitness before the Afghanistan match but the skipper, on the eve of the first ODI, said that he would play the match despite not being at 'a hundred per cent' and would assess his situation after playing the match.  

"I am definitely available for tomorrow. Physically, I am in a better state than before but I won't say I am at hundred per cent. After the game tomorrow, I will be able to understand what's the situation but till now, [the decision is] I am playing tomorrow," the skipper said at the press conference after the end of the Tigers' training session.

July 5, Wednesday

Bangladesh lost the first ODI against Afghanistan by 17 runs (DLS method) in Chattogram owing to a disappointing batting effort where Tamim managed a 21-ball 13-run knock before falling prey to a familiar fear -- left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi, who now boasts four dismissals against Tamim in as many meetings.

After the match, Tamim called for a press conference the following morning where an announcement was expected. 

July 6, Thursday

Tamim changed the timing of the press briefing from 12 pm to 1:30 pm and announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket at a city hotel in Chattogram. 

It was later learned that Bangladesh Cricket Board officials tried to get a hold of him before the press briefing had commenced but failed to reach him.

Later that day in Dhaka, the BCB later announced that it would sit for a meeting at 10:00pm and hold a press briefing an hour later where they would name the captain for the next two matches.

BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon was naturally at the forefront as he expressed dismay and bemusement at Tamim's decision to call it quits. He concluded the press briefing, which had started at midnight, by saying that the 34-year-old would still be Bangladesh's ODI captain and if he did not return, Liton Das, vice-captain of the ODI team, would take charge for the remaining two matches in the ongoing series against Afghanistan in Chattogram. The president also said that the board would ask him to reconsider. 

July 7, Friday 

Stand-in captain Liton Das came out in the pre-match press conference ahead of the second ODI against Afghanistan and entertained a few questions at the press conference regarding the Tamim issue and the opener's shock retirement, but at one point lost his cool over the subtext of the press event. 

"Being captain of Bangladesh is something to be proud of. When I captained before, I tried to do my best and win matches for Bangladesh. There is no alternative here, I will be trying to do well," he said.

Liton felt no great change would be there in the absence of his regular opening partner.

Asked if there is a negative impact on the team at the moment, he said: "No. He was there in the previous match but won't be in the next match. Somehow if that wasn't the case and instead, he had an injury, we would have played an alternative team. So I don't think any change like that would come and things would stay the same."

In the afternoon, Tamim decided to withdraw his decision after meeting the Prime Minister. The cricketer, who announced his shock retirement from all forms of international cricket on Thursday, confirmed reporters about returning to playing international cricket after meeting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Gono Bhaban. Tamim was accompanied by BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon and former captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza in the meeting. 

"I can decline everyone but not the Prime Minister," Tamim said. "Mashrafe Bhai had brought me while Papon bhai, too, was present at the meeting with me." 

Papon mentioned that he knew he could have Tamim reverse his decision once he meet him.

"As I am very close to all of them [Bangladesh players] I had a hunch that maybe he took an emotional decision. I had a belief that if I could meet with him then we could come to a solution," Papon said.  

Tamim, however, will not be playing the final two ODIs of the ongoing Afghanistan series in Chattogram. As Papon informed, the opener will take a one-and-a-half-month break for rehabilitation to recover his fitness. 

"We all had a meeting with Tamim through the honourable Prime Minister. As he mentioned in front of you [the media], he will be withdrawing the letter of his retirement. So, he is not retired. However, as he is not mentally and physically 100 per cent fit, he asked for a month-and-a-half break. Hopefully, he will go through rehabilitation during this time and return to cricket after regaining complete fitness," Papon added.