Tamim withdraws retirement after meeting with PM

Just a day after announcing his retirement from international cricket, Bangladesh batter Tamim Iqbal decided to withdraw his decision after meeting the Prime Minister on Friday afternoon.

The cricketer, who announced his shock retirement from all forms of international cricket on Thursday, confirmed reporters about returning to playing international cricket after meeting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Gono Bhaban.

Tamim was accompanied by BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon and former captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza in the meeting. 

"I can decline everyone but not the Prime Minister," Tamim said. "Mashrafe Bhai had brought me while Papon bhai, too, was present at the meeting with me." 

Papon mentioned that he knew he could have Tamim reverse his decision once he meet him. 

"As I am very close to all of them [Bangladesh players] I had a hunch that maybe he took an emotional decision. I had a belief that if I could meet with him then we could come to a solution," Papon said.  

Tamim, however, will not be playing the final two ODIs of the ongoing Afghanistan series in Chattogram. As Papon informed, the opener will take a one-and-a-half-month break for rehabilitation to recover his fitness. 

"We all had a meeting with Tamim through the honorable Prime Minister. As he mentioned infront of you [the media], he will be withdrawing the letter of his retirement. So, he is not retired. However, as he is not mentally and physically 100 per cent fit, he asked for a month-and-a-half break. Hopefully, he will go through rehabilitation during this time and return to cricket after regaining complete fitness," Papon added.