Bangladesh’s interim ODI captain, Litton Das addressed the retirement of veteran opener Tamim Iqbal from international cricket. Litton Das mentioned that the team was unaware of Tamim’s decision but would honor and respect it.
Tamim Iqbal announced his retirement from all formats of the game, which led to an emotional press conference on Thursday, July 6. In light of Tamim’s retirement, Litton Das was appointed as the captain for the remaining two matches against Afghanistan.
During the press conference ahead of the second ODI, Litton Das stated that he wasn’t the appropriate person to discuss Tamim Iqbal’s retirement.
“I’m here to talk about tomorrow’s game. If you have questions about Tamim, I believe it would be more appropriate to speak with the board president or the coach. I should excuse myself,” Litton told the reporters.
“I learned about his retirement at 1 pm. It came as a surprise to all of us because no one expected him to make such a decision. However, it’s his decision as an elder brother, and the entire team respects it. I think everyone else should do the same,” he added.
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Litton Das emphasized the need to focus on the future and expressed that he didn’t feel any pressure in his role as captain.
“It’s hard to say if we will miss him because today I’m here, but tomorrow I might not be due to injury. Newcomers will come into the team, and no one will miss me. It’s part of the process,” he explained.
“With his absence, there’s no point in discussing the matter with me anymore. Instead, we should concentrate on what we can do in the future and contribute positively to our country. That’s what we need to strive for,” he concluded.
Bangladesh will face Afghanistan in the second match of the three-match ODI series at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Saturday, July 8.