'Did not talk' to Shakib, says Tamim

Fortune Barishal skipper Tamim Iqbal revealed that he did not talk to Rangpur Riders all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan after his side won their opening Bangladesh Premier League 2024 fixture by five wickets at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday.  

"No, we did not talk," Tamim replied after he was asked whether he made conversation with Shakib.

"I don't think this question is important. You all know about it. Why do you keep on poking? If you have to ask something then ask him," he added.

Tamim had said that he would talk to Shakib when they get the chance to meet.

"I haven't met either of them yet but when I meet them obviously, we will talk. Let's see," he told the reporters after a practice session at PKSP on Thursday.

Tamim's 35 off 24 balls and Mahmudullah's cameo of 19 off 11 balls guided Fortune Barishal to their first win of the season. 

This is the first time Shakib and Tamim are facing off on the cricket field since their public falling out before last year's ICC ODI World Cup.

Tamim set up the 135-run chase by powering Barishal to 51-1 at the end of the Powerplay.

Mahmudullah then laid the finishing touches with a six in the penultimate over and another one in the first ball of the final over to take the side to 138-5.

Earlier, Barishal bowlers laid the foundation for the victory by restricting Rangpur to 134-9.

Shamim Hossain top-scored with a 33-ball 34 while pacer Khaled Ahmed took 4-31.

Shakib Al Hasan, in his first match since being elected as a member of the parliament, made two runs with the bat for Rangpur and picked up the wickets of Ibrahim Zadran and Mushfiqur Rahim.