'Would not come back for playing just 4 or 5 games'- Tamim Iqbal on potential comeback to international cricket

Legendary Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal has recently hinted at a potential return to international cricket. The 35-year-old stepped away from the game in 2023 and is now considering a comeback.

Tamim's abrupt exit from the game left both the player and fans in surprise. His brief return, including a public disagreement with then-captain Shakib Al Hasan, resulted in his absence from the 2023 ODI World Cup. With newly appointed Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Faruque Ahmed encouraging his return, the possibility of Tamim donning the national colors once again has gained attention.

“The way I finished, it wasn’t pleasant. So, for me to come back and play, I need to have a purpose. I am not someone who would come back for the heck of it and then play just four or five games. What is the point? Everybody says, ‘Come back, we want you’, but if I turn up for five games, will that help Bangladesh cricket? If there is a proper plan in terms of what they want to do and achieve, then I can think about it and we can talk accordingly," Tamim Iqbal told Sportstar.

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Do I play for the cricket board, or do I play for the team: Tamim Iqbal

The southpaw suggested that an approach from the board would involve a concrete goal, such as aiming for the semifinals in the upcoming 2025 Champions Trophy. He stressed the importance of unity among senior players and the resolution of any existing differences within the team.

"If they (the BCB) tell me that we want to win the Champions Trophy or at least we want to qualify for the semifinals, and this will probably be the last tournament that the three or four senior players would play regardless of whatever the differences are and that the BCB will fix it. This is the way to approach people,” he added.

The Bangladesh team has been performing well under new captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, qualifying for the Super 8 stage in the 2024 T20 World Cup and securing a 2-0 Test series victory against Pakistan on their home turf. 

“Yeah, obviously. But the thing is - do I play for the cricket board, or do I play for the team? Where should this approach (request) come from? The cricket board looks after me but the players also need to be welcoming," Tamim said in the aforementioned interview.

The veteran opener also touched upon the disappointment of missing the 2023 ODI World Cup, despite attempts to resolve differences with Shakib Al Hasan.

“You can have bad relationships, or there could be differences with people, but when it comes to the national interest, everybody should be one and there should not be any vindictiveness. Unfortunately, that happened," Tamim concluded.