Mashrafe bin Mortuza, Nazmul Hasan Papon, Tamim Iqbal and his wife Ayesha Siddiqa with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganabhaban, Photo – Prime Minister’s Office.
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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with Mashrafe Bin Mortuza, Nazmul Hasan Papon, Tamim Iqbal and his wife Ayesha Siddiqa at Ganabhaban. Photo: Prime Minister’s Office

A day after his sudden retirement from international cricket, Tamim Iqbal has decided to return to cricket. He said that he took this decision on the instructions of the Prime Minister.

However, the ODI captain of the national team will not be available in the ongoing series against Afghanistan. He will return to the Asia Cup after spending a month and a half vacation. After that he will play all types of (One Day and Test) international cricket. After the meeting with the Prime Minister, Tamim confirmed the matter while facing the media.

The country’s best opener Tamim played the first ODI of the series against the Afghans in Chittagong on Wednesday. The left-handed opener announced his retirement at a press conference on Thursday afternoon. When he returned to Dhaka on Friday, Mashrafe Bin Mortuza, the most successful former captain of the national team, brought him to Ganobhaban to meet the Prime Minister on his own initiative.

After that, the Prime Minister called Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Nazmul Hasan Papon. After the meeting there, Tamim told the media, “Honorable Prime Minister invited me to his residence this afternoon. We discussed for a long time. He instructed me to return to the game. I am taking my retirement right now. Because I can say ‘no’ to everyone, it is impossible to say ‘no’ to the biggest person in the country.”

Tamim said that BCB president and former captain played a role in his return, “Papan bhai, Mashrafe bhai were big factors in that (return). Mashrafe Bhai called me, Papon Bhai was with me. The Prime Minister has also given me a one-and-a-half month leave. Whatever treatment I have or whatever, mentally if I can be free… whatever needs to be done after that and then whatever games I have, I will play inshallah.’