Tamim calls time on 16-yr int'l career in emotional press briefing

Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal announced his retirement from international cricket today.

The 34-year-old's retirement from all forms of cricket will be effective from today. 

An emotional Tamim read out a statement communicating his decision during a press conference at a hotel in Chattogram.

"Yesterday [the game] against Afghanistan was my last in international cricket," Tamim told journalists.

The Chittagonian broke down in tears a few times as he spoke of his reasons for the sudden retirement and about his cricketing life.

He had to pause to control his emotions and lost his composure a few times at the press conference at the Tower Inn Hotel, which started around 1:20pm.

He retires as the second highest run-scorer (5,134 runs) for Bangladesh in Test matches, the highest in ODIs (8,313), and the third highest in T20Is. 

He has 10 Test centuries, the second highest for Bangladesh behind Mominul Haque, a Bangladesh-record 14 ODI centuries, and remains the only Bangladeshi to score a T20I century, which he hit against Oman in the 2016 World Twenty20 in India.

In late-night messages yesterday, Tamim had informed journalists that he would hold a press briefing at 12:00 noon today, leading to much speculation among all and sundry regarding his future.

The batter was not having the best of times with the bat, and his inconclusiveness over a back injury had apparently put him at odds with the team management.

Head coach Chandika Hathurusingha was reportedly irked by his comments regarding his fitness ahead of the first ODI against Afghanistan, which Bangladesh eventually lost by 17 runs on Wednesday.

BCB president Nazmul Hassan, too, expressed his displeasure regarding the issue while talking to a Bengali daily on Wednesday.

Tamim made his international debut in a one-day international against Zimbabwe in Harare on February 9, 2007 as a precocious 17-year-old. His Test debut was against New Zealand in Dunedin on January 3, 2008, and he played his first T20 International against Kenya in Nairobi on September 2007. 

He has played 241 ODIs, 70 Tests, and 78 T20Is.

He captained Bangladesh in 37 ODIs, won 21 and lost 14, with two matches ending as no results. 

The first three of those matches were on a tour of Sri Lanka following the 2019 World Cup, when he was a stand-in captain for Mashrafe Bin Mortaza. Bangladesh lost all three of those matches. 

Since being made the regular captain in 2021, he led in 34 games, won 21 and lost 11. His captaincy achievements include away series wins in South Africa and Ireland, and a home series win against India.