Tamim Iqbal retires from T20 Internationals

The most successful opener in Bangladesh cricket and One-Day International skipper Tamim Iqbal has announced his retirement from Twenty20 Internationals as the Tigers and fans are celebrating their clean ODI series sweep over West Indies.

“Consider me retired in T20 Internationals from today. Thank you all,” he wrote in a Facebook post around 4am Bangladesh Standard Time on Sunday, just after the victory against the Carribbeans at Guayana’s Providence Stadium.

He was the player of the series for the sixth time in his ODI career, reports bdnews24.com.

Although Tamim has long been saying he is not keen to play T20Is, the announcement at this hour of the day and amid a celebration came as a shock to his fans.

“Why such a status at midnight? You deserve to leave the field with your head high and love from thousands of people. We would consider it [retirement] then. Why now? Sorry captain. We don’t accept it. No one in the cricket world would accept such a departure, because cricket-loving people want to bid you goodbye with honour,” wrote Md Shahud Un Nabi, a fan.

Tamim had announced his decision to shelve the plans to play T20Is for at least six months by the end of January.

“The [BCB officials] obviously want me to continue playing until the [T20] World Cup. But my issue was different. I’ve taken a decision which will fare well for all. I'm not thinking about T20 Internationals for the next six months. I'll put all my focus on Tests and ODIs in these months,” Tamim had said.

The 33-year-old pulled out of a T20 series against New Zealand and returned home after the One-Day Internationals in March last year citing “personal reasons”.

In September, he dropped out of the T20 World Cup, saying he took the decision because he had been away from the T20 format for a long time.

Injury then ruled him out of the squad for a T20 series against Pakistan.

In a career spanning 78 T20Is, Tamim scored 1,758 runs at an average of 24.08 with 7 half-centuries and the only century by a Bangladeshi in the format.

Only Mahmudullah and Shakib Al Hasan have scored more runs in the format than Tamim but have lower averages.