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Bangladesh's veteran opener Tamim Iqbal recently marked himself unavailable for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which is slated to be held in the UAE and Oman later this year. Former Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza has lauded the southpaw for his decision.
The 37-year-old took to his social media accounts to react to the major development. Mortaza opined that Tamim Iqbal will remain the best batsman for the national side despite pulling out of this year's showpiece event.
He also mentioned how no fans would want the dynamic opener to lose his form by playing the shortest format 'forcibly'. Mortaza also pointed out that Iqbal will have had to deal with added pressure after returning to the side after a prolonged absence due to a knee injury.
ODI captain Tamim Iqbal announced his decision through a social media post on Wednesday. The seasoned campaigner clarified that he is not retiring from the format. Iqbal justified his decision by saying it would be unfair to the current openers if he were to walk directly into the side for the T20 World Cup.
The stylish batsman has not donned the national jersey since Bangladesh's tour of Zimbabwe. It is worth mentioning that Iqbal is expected to recover from his knee injury prior to the marquee event.
However, he has made it clear that he does not intend to play in the all-important competition after having missed the team's recent fixtures.
Tamim Iqbal's name excluded from T20 central contract list
The left-hander's failed to fetch a central contract from the Bangladesh Cricket Board after pulling out of the T20 World Cup. However, he continues to be a contracted player for ODIs and Test matches.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hasan Papon confirmed the same through a public statement. The central contract is effective from May and will be valid until December of this year. Papon reckons that as Bangladesh are not scheduled to feature in a T20 series until December, Iqbal will have to miss out.
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