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Bangladesh's ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal shockingly announced his retirement from all formats of the game with immediate effect on Thursday, July 6. Iqbal decided to end his 16-year international career after Bangladesh's loss against Afghanistan on Wednesday.
Iqbal retires as Bangladesh's highest run-scorer in the ODI format with 8313 runs to his name. Tamim's sudden retirement is a huge blow to Bangladesh's plans as the ODI World Cup is just three months away.
Here, we look at three reasons why his retirement is a massive blow for the Tigers:
#1 His experience can't be replaced
While someone will come in and take Tamim Iqbal's place in the ODI setup, his vast experience can't be replaced. He has featured in 241 ODIs, scoring 8313 runs at an average of 36.62. He has 14 centuries to his name in the 50-over format.
In addition to the 241 ODIs, he has also played 70 Tests and 78 T20s at the highest level. Experience is an incredibly valuable asset, especially in a major tournament where calm heads are needed to make the correct decisions. Hence, Iqbal's retirement will be a big loss for Bangladesh as far as the marquee event later this year is concerned.
#2 Negligible time for the new captain to settle
Tamim Iqbal was Bangladesh's captain in ODIs and his sudden retirement means that the board will have to appoint a new leader. He was appointed as the captain of the ship back in 2020, taking over from Mashrafe Mortaza. He has had the reins of the team for more than three years with an eye on the upcoming World Cup.
However, with his retirement, the BCB's plans have been foiled and Iqbal's successor will have very limited time to settle into the demanding role.
#3 Lack of high quality openers
While there is no doubt regarding his talent, Litton Das has struggled as an opener in ODIs, which caused the team to shift him to the middle order in the recent series against Ireland. Tamim Iqbal's presence ensured that at least one of the opening spots was tied town, which will now be up in the air.
The management will now have to look at players like Anamul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shano, and Rony Talukdar, all of whom have disappointed in the recent past.
