Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan does not find it necessary to consult national team head coach Chandika Hathurusingha if veteran opener Tamim Iqbal wishes to return to the national fold.
Speaking to the media following a BCB Board of Directors meeting held at the BCB office at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium Saturday, Nazmul said it is important for the board to sit with Tamim and understand the southpaw’s plan.
Discussions have been doing the rounds regarding Tamim’s return to the Bangladesh dressing room after the left-handed batter led champions Fortune Barishal to their maiden Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 title.
Tamim finished as the player of the tournament after scoring 492 runs, the most in the seven-team tournament this season.
The former Bangladesh captain left the country for a vacation the night after winning the BPL and has now returned on the eve of the Dhaka Premier League.
Tamim’s rift with Hathurusingha has been well established over the past few months and it is also now known in the cricket arena that the opening batsman will not return to the national dressing room under the Sri Lankan coach.
“Tamim will play if he wants to play. There is nothing to ask the coach. The squad is decided by a committee [national selection panel]. The playing XI is mostly decided by the coach and the captain. So, there is no need to consult the coach on this matter,” said Nazmul.
Nazmul pressed on the need for the board to have a meeting with Tamim as soon as possible.
“It is important to have the meeting with Tamim. We first need to know his plan and thoughts on his international cricket future. We can then set the way forward. I do not see any need to sit with the head coach on this,” said Nazmul.
“The board is to decide who will be the coach, the captain and the national selectors. Opinions always help but it doesn’t mean that the board has to do as per the opinions,” the BCB chief added.
Tamim had rocked the cricket arena in July last year when he announced his international retirement.
The left-handed batter however, reverted his decision the day after following the involvement of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Tamim though was not part of the 2023 Cricket World Cup team and the issue has been hanging since.
