Trying times for Tamim

Bangladesh have a dismal record against Pakistan. They have lost 31 out of the 32 ODIs against their South Asian neighbours, with the only win coming way back in the 1999 World Cup. There however were a few close matches in the recent past, which saw the Tigers battle neck and neck against them and in those games, opener Tamim Iqbal played a vital role.

He has got four half-centuries against Pakistan and three of them almost helped Bangladesh go over the line. From the agonising two-run defeat in the Asia Cup final in 2012 to his resolute 63 in Faisalabad which gave the Tigers a sniff at a rare away win, against Pakistan, Tamim has often been the key.

And that's the reason why the question with regards to Tamim's form becomes a lot more relevant as the series approaches.

The left-handed opener who recently returned from Saudi Arabia after performing Umrah, had an off-day on the field for Islami Bank East Zone as he was sent back to the pavilion after scoring just 10 runs. It was bound to be a difficult task for the left-hander to perform merely a day after he returned to the country.

However, with the Pakistan series knocking at the doors and the selectors yet to settle on an opening partner for Tamim, one would hope that the left-hander returns to his merry stroke-making self in time.