Tamim Iqbal retires before Champions Trophy: Check records and runs made by former Bangladesh captain

Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal has declared retirement from international cricket, asserting that he doesn’t want to distract his team before the Champions Trophy. The left-handed batsman made his international debut in a 2007 One-Day International (ODI) against Zimbabwe in Harare. Iqbal represented the team in 243 ODIs, 70 Tests, and 78 T20Is.

He previously hung his boots from international cricket a few months before the commencement of the ODI World Cup in 2023. However, the player ended up reversing that decision in a day, and still missed out on the tournament due to a back injury.

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Iqbal, 35, notched over 15,000 runs across all formats, and brought up 25 centuries, which is the most by any Bangladesh batsman. He last played for them in a 2-0 ODI series loss at home against New Zealand in September 2023.

“I have been away from international cricket for a long time. That distance will remain. My chapter in international cricket is over,” he wrote in a post on social media.

“I have been thinking about this for a long time. Now that a big event like the Champions Trophy is coming up, I do not want to be the focus of anyone’s attention, which could lead to the team losing their focus.”

The Champions Trophy is taking place in Pakistan from February 19-March 9 and Bangladesh are in Group A, alongside teams like Pakistan, New Zealand, and India.

“Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto sincerely asked me to return to the team (for the Champions Trophy),” Tamim added.

“There were discussions with the selection committee too. I am grateful to them for still considering me in the team. However, I have listened to my own heart.”