Don't want to be part of these dirty games: Tamim

Former ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal revealed he opted out of the World Cup due to unfair treatment that he received from a top-level Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) official. 

BCB announced the 15-member squad for the World Cup on Tuesday evening. To everyone's surprise, Tamim, who seemed well on his way to feature in his fifth World Cup, was left out. 

He revealed through a video posted on his Facebook profile that he felt ready to take the plane to India following his 44-run knock against New Zealand in the second match of the three-match series that was used to ramp up preparations for the World Cup

"I was very happy after the game (2nd ODI)," he said. "I was very happy at the way I batted, I felt confident."

The left-handed opener said that a BCB higher-up had asked him not to play the opening match of the World Cup against Afghanistan. He further said that even if he manages to make the eleven for that game, the official in question told Tamim that they would prefer him to play down the order. 

This suggestion had shocked Tamim, especially the latest report from the physio did not state that he needed to sit out of the Afghanistan game, and thus he felt that he was the victim of a dirty environment that created several obstacles for him in the last few months.

"The report said that I had pain after the first match and the second match. It said that I am available for the match on September 26 but the medical department believed that if I was rested and played the second practice match on October 2 then I would get enough time ahead of the first match (of the World Cup against Afghanistan)," Tamim said while quoting the physio's report.

"This would give me two weeks of rehabilitation and put me in a much better place to play the first match," he explained.

The 34-year-old southpaw also revealed the interaction he had with the BCB selectors after the second New Zealand ODI. According to Tamim, the selectors came into the dressing room following the match after which Tamim told them about the condition of his discomfort--which according to him won't change. Tamim said he told the selectors to make a decision considering his condition.