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It looks like the ‘Tamim Iqbal exclusion controversy’ is not going to end very soon in Bangladesh cricket. It all started after the selectors ignored former skipper and star top-order batter Tamim Iqbal from the ODI World Cup 2023 squad of Bangladesh. Later, the controversy ignited when skipper Shakib Al Hasan came up with some hard and fast-lined statements while talking about Tamim Iqbal.
Shakib went on to call Tamim ‘childish’ and said that the latter is not a team man. Meanwhile, the former Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza has come up with some brutal remarks and lashed out at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for their mismanagement in controlling this situation around the question of Tamim Iqbal’s selection in the ODI World Cup 2023 squad.
"They could have said it after announcing the squad." - Mashrafe Mortaza on Tamim Iqbal's batting order concern
Mortaza also questioned the intent of the current skipper Shakib Al Hasan in dealing with this issue with one of the very old colleagues and teammates, Tamim Iqbal.
“As the captain, Shakib could have messaged Tamim or spoken for a minute, saying, 'I have this plan, I'll discuss it with you later.' I think that would have resolved the entire issue here,” said Mortaza in a video on his official Facebook page.
“According to my cricket knowledge, this instruction of batting in the middle order or skipping the first game should have come from the coach, captain or a selector who will go with the team. Not from any BCB official. They could have said it after announcing the squad or two days before the first game. I don’t understand the reason behind telling this to Tamim before announcing the squad,” he added later.
Furthermore, the former skipper and pacer also recalled the instance when Tamim Iqbal’s retirement issue was stretched to the Prime Minister of the country and developments came in line after that.
“After Tamim announced retirement, the issue went even to the prime minister. She asked Tamim to play the World Cup and that’s why Tamim agreed to it. I don’t think any further discussion was needed for this, especially from any BCB official. All these conversations with Tamim should have come after announcing the squad,” Mortaza said.