A big news has come just before the Champions Trophy starting next month in Pakistan-UAE. About 40 days before the tournament, Bangladesh cricket team has suffered a major blow as one of its veteran players has announced his retirement. Former Bangladesh captain and veteran opener Tamim Iqbal ended all speculations about his comeback by announcing his retirement from international cricket on Friday, January 10. Bangladesh Cricket Board was appealing to Tamim to play in this tournament but the country's most successful batsman refused outright and decided to distance himself from international cricket.

The 35-year-old veteran Bangladeshi batsman informed about his decision in a social media post on Friday. The selection committee of Bangladesh Cricket Board had appealed to Tamim to participate in the Champions Trophy, which Tamim had also considered but in the end he rejected the offer. According to a report, the former Bangladesh captain had informed the selection committee about his decision on Wednesday itself but then team captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto had also asked him to consider the decision. After thinking for a day more, Tamim decided to stay away from international cricket and announced his retirement.

Tamim, who scored the most 15,300 runs in international cricket for Bangladesh, has announced his retirement for the second time. Earlier, he had also announced his retirement in July 2023. Then he had taken this decision after a tussle with the board, but then after meeting the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he changed the decision in just 24 hours. After this, Tamim played ODI series against New Zealand in September. Then in October-November, he was to participate in the World Cup but just before that he got injured, due to which he was not selected. The ODI match against New Zealand proved to be his last match in international cricket.

The team had high expectations about the return of left-handed opener Tamim, who scored the highest number of 8357 runs and 14 centuries for Bangladesh in ODIs. This could have given strength to Bangladeshi batting in the Champions Trophy but now this will not happen. Due to this, Bangladesh will now have to remain without Tamim for the entire tournament including their first match against India on 20th February. Apart from Team India, Bangladesh also has to face Pakistan and New Zealand in the group stage. Apart from 243 ODIs, Tamim also played 70 Tests, in which he scored 5134 runs with 10 centuries and 1758 runs in 78 T20 Internationals with 1 century and 7 half-centuries.