Tamim Iqbal wants to score 10000 runs for Bangladesh in both formats

Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal feels he has a lot of cricket left in him, and also wants to score 10000 runs in both formats of the game. Tamim Iqbal has been the backbone of the Bangladesh batting line-up along with Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah. Tamim is a veteran of 42 Tests and 153 ODIs, which includes a Test Double-century against Pakistan last year.

Tamim currently has 3118 test runs and 4713 ODI runs under his name.

“I want to play for another six years. I really want to score 10000 runs in either format. In tests, it is looking impossible, but if I play another 150 ODIs, really well, it is possible,” he said when speaking to ESPNCricinfo.

Recalling the memorable series against Pakistan last year, Tamim described how his approach towards the game along with Imrul Kayes in that particular innings changed the fate of match.

“After Pakistan declared on 628, we knew it was going to be really hard for us to save that Test match. Even if it was the best wicket in the world, it would be hard. Imrul asked me what the plan was, and I said that we will take them on”, he said.

After being bowled out for 332 runs in the first innings, Pakistan scored a massive 628 before they called their innings off. Mohammad Hafeez scored a double century for his side. In reply, Bangladesh were able to share honours by virtue of some classy batting by Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes.

Tamim scored a career best of 206 runs and Kayes complemented his innings scoring 150 runs himself. They put up the highest opening stand for Bangladesh (312 runs).

Tamim feels that fitness is an essential factor for prolonging your cricket career, however, he added that fitness won't fetch centuries, skills will.

“Fitness won’t make you score hundreds, skills will. But fitness will make you play for longer.”

Bangladesh are out-of-action from International cricket till they play England in October later this year, which is quite disappointing for Tamim as well as the Bangladesh Cricket Team. Sharing thoughts about the matter he said, “After such a great season, we are not playing for eight months. It would definitely hamper us. People should be more interested in playing against us, but instead we are sitting on the sidelines.

“We don’t know how we are going to play. There’s no team in the world apart from Zimbabwe which sits out for so long between matches.”

Bangladesh have been in terrific form in the past one and a half year, they have defeated big teams in ODIs at their own den, and also qualified for the quarter-finals of the 2015 edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup.