“You are not thinking about the team”: Shakib Al Hasan takes on Tamim Iqbal

Dhaka [Bangladesh], September 28 (ANI): Following Tamim Iqbal’s exclusion from Bangladesh’s ODI World Cup squad, star player Shakib Al Hasan lashed out at the senior batsman.

Shakib called Tamim “childish” and criticized him for putting himself ahead of the team’s needs.

Tamim made a comeback to the Bangladesh squad but was not added to the ODI World Cup squad. The batsman has been struggling with a continuous back injury.

However, on Wednesday Tamim took to his official Facebook account and claimed that he was fit to take part in the upcoming tournament but backed out since he was asked to bat down the order.

Shakib spoke about Tamim without naming him and said that he is not a team man and just playing for individual records. 

“You are not thinking about the team at all. People don’t understand these things. Why was the proposal given to him? It was for the team. What is wrong in that? You are a team man when you agree to such a proposal. Unless you are thinking along those lines, you are not a team man. You are playing for individual records, success, fame, and name. Not for the team,” Shakib said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo. 

The Bangladesh skipper Shakib backed BCB’s stand decision to drop Tamim and quoted MS Dhoni who said that an unfit player who is playing is cheating his team and country.

“People might doubt my capability or capacity but someone like MS Dhoni, who has won everything and has the knowledge and sense, once said that the unfit player who is playing is cheating his team and country. I think we should accept it, and not just Tamim but every player,” he added. 

“Someone like Rohit Sharma built his career from No. 7 to opener, scored 10,000-plus runs. If he sometimes bats at No 3 or 4, would it be a big problem? It is totally childish. It is my bat, I will play. No one else can play. A player should bat at any position for the team. Team first. It doesn’t make any difference if you have made 100 or 200, and the team loses. What can you do with personal achievement? You want to make a name for yourself,” he added. 

In the upcoming World Cup, Bangladesh will start their journey against Afghanistan on October 7 at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala. 

Bangladesh’s ODI World Cup 2023 squad: Shakib Al Hasan (C), Litton Kumer Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto (Vc), Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib. (ANI)