In the lead-up to the World Cup, tensions between two of Bangladesh’s senior players, Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal, have become public. What was once a close friendship has deteriorated, as confirmed by the Bangladesh Cricket Board president earlier this year. The rift between them became even more evident during the finalization of Bangladesh’s 15-member World Cup squad.
On Tuesday, Tamim’s name was conspicuously absent from the squad announcement, with selectors citing a back injury as the reason. However, in a subsequent interview with a sports channel, Shakib disclosed that Tamim had refused to bat at No. 3 in their opening World Cup match against Afghanistan. Shakib criticized Tamim, calling his behavior ‘childish’ and questioning his commitment to the team. Shakib also expressed disappointment over Tamim’s decision to step down as captain just a few months before the World Cup, believing that such a decision should have been made earlier.
Shakib emphasized the importance of a player putting the team’s interests first and being willing to bat in any position. He criticized a focus on personal achievements, stating that it doesn’t matter if a player scores 100 or 200 runs if the team loses. He suggested that players who prioritize individual records, fame, and personal success over the team are not true team players.
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Tamim’s place in the squad had been a subject of speculation in Bangladesh media since his surprise retirement announcement in July, followed by a subsequent reversal. The opener, Bangladesh’s leading run-scorer in the format, took a break to recover from a recurring back injury but returned for the recent series against New Zealand, where he scored a half-century. After the World Cup squad announcement, Tamim posted a video message on his Facebook page, asserting that he had no fitness issues and had informed the selectors about his physical condition.
Tamim also revealed that he had rejected a proposal from a Bangladesh Cricket Board official to bat at No. 3. He explained that he had reservations about changing his batting position, as he had played in the same role for 17 years and had no experience batting in the middle order. This disagreement led to tensions, and Tamim felt that he was being pressured to accept a different role against his will.
This public feud has cast a shadow over Bangladesh’s preparations for the World Cup, and it remains to be seen if the team can set aside these conflicts and unite as a cohesive unit for the tournament.