Shakib al Hasan calls Tamim Iqbal ‘childish’ amidst controversy

Bangladesh’s cricket captain, Shakib Al Hasan, has provided a robust rebuke to his teammate, Tamim Iqbal, denouncing his behaviour as “childish.”

Tamim’s inclusion in the Bangladesh squad has been inconsistent following a back injury. He was sidelined from the Asia Cup 2023 and was subsequently omitted from the Bangladesh World Cup squad on Tuesday, citing an ongoing back injury.

On Wednesday, Tamim posted a video on Facebook, alleging that his exclusion from the squad was not due to his fitness but rather stemmed from escalating tensions between him and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials.

In an interview with Dhaka-based TV channel T-Sports, Shakib expressed his belief that someone with authority had conveyed this information to Tamim. He emphasized the importance of considering the team’s interests when making decisions and constructing the lineup for a match.

Shakib uses Rohit Sharma’s example

Criticizing Tamim’s conduct, Shakib characterized it as childish and not conducive to a team-oriented approach. He cited the example of Rohit Sharma, who transitioned from batting at No. 7 to becoming an opening batsman, accumulating over 10,000 runs. Shakib highlighted the need for players to adapt and be flexible with their batting positions for the team’s benefit.

Shakib emphasized the concept of “team first” and discouraged individual pursuits of personal achievements, fame, and recognition. He indicated that the proposal for Tamim to bat at a different position had been made with the team’s best interests in mind.

The controversy initially arose in July 2023 when Tamim suffered a back injury and indicated that he was playing in pain. Consequently, he missed the Asia Cup and was absent from the final match of his comeback series against New Zealand earlier this week.

Shakib feels Tamim by playing even though he is unfit is cheating his country

As the team’s leader, Shakib stressed that he did not want any player competing in the World Cup without being fully fit, characterizing it as “cheating with the team.” He cited the example of MS Dhoni, a highly accomplished limited-overs captain, who once stated that an unfit player participating in a match was cheating his team and country.

Shakib expressed his preference for clarity regarding a player’s fitness status, citing Kane Williamson’s situation, where he won’t participate in the first two matches but will return afterwards. Shakib underlined the importance of having certainty regarding a player’s availability to facilitate team selection.

In conclusion, Shakib Al Hasan emphasized the significance of a united team approach and the need for players to prioritize the team’s interests over personal accomplishments and recognition.