Tamim Iqbal retires from international cricket for the second time just before the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Bangladesh’s legendary opener Tamim Iqbal has announced his retirement from international cricket days after speculation that he could make himself available for the upcoming Champions Trophy.

With a major tournament like the Champions Trophy looming, there was little hope that Tamim could return to the international fold for one last time. However, the left-handed player decided to end his illustrious career.

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Tamim Iqbal announces retirement for the second time

This is the second time that Tamim Iqbal has announced his retirement from international cricket after previously retiring in July 2023. His previous retirement came in an emotional press conference.

However, the intervention of the then Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina made him change his decision within 24 hours. Sheikh Hasina invited Tamim to her own residence and former Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza was also included in the meeting.

The Gaz Ashraf Hossain-led Bangladesh selection committee had earlier asked Tamim Iqbal to return for the 2025 Champions Trophy because of his vast experience at the international level. However, he let them know that he will stand by his decision to retire and will not change it.

He took an extra day to think about his decision after Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto asked him to reconsider his decision, but he did not change it. He announced his decision with a post on Facebook, in which he thanked everyone for their support.

Tamim Iqbal opts to stay away from the Champions Trophy

Tamim claimed that he did not want to be in the limelight at the important moment when the team for the Champions Trophy will be selected. According to him, he does not want to be considered as an international cricketer as he has not played cricket at a high level for a long time.

“I have been away from international cricket for some time and the gap will not close. My chapter in international cricket is over,” Tamim wrote in a Facebook post.

“I’ve been thinking about it for some time, and with the Champions Trophy ahead of us, I don’t want discussions about me to disrupt the team’s focus. For this reason, I withdrew from the national contract a long time ago, even though the media sometimes suggested otherwise,” he added.

“For someone who is out of BCB contract for a year, there is no point in such discussions. Every cricketer has the right to decide his future and I have taken time to take this decision. Now, I feel the moment has come,” Iqbal said.

“Captain Nazmul Hossain genuinely asked me to come back and I have also spoken to the selection committee. I am grateful that they believe I am still fit, but I followed my heart,” he revealed.

“It was shocking for me to step down before the 2023 World Cup, not for cricketing reasons. Yet wherever I went, the fans expressed their desire to see me back in the national team. I felt their love and support deeply,” former Bangladesh opener added .

“My son didn’t tell me directly, but he told his mother that he wants to see me in the national jersey. I’m sorry that I disappointed the fans and told my son: ‘When you grow up, you will understand your dad’s decisions,'” he concluded.

Prolific figures in international cricket

Tamim Iqbal retires as Bangladesh’s second most prolific batsman across all formats. He scored 15192 runs in all formats at an average of 35.41 with 20 hundreds and 82 fifties. He is second only to Mushqiqur Rahim as the country’s all-time leading run-scorer.

He is the second highest run scorer for Bangladesh in Test cricket with 5134 runs in 70 matches. In ODIs, he is Bangladesh’s top run-getter with 8357 runs in 243 matches at an average of 36.65 and a strike rate of 78.52 with 14 hundreds to his name.

Tamim Iqbal is currently playing in the Bangladesh Premier League 2025, where he has scored 161 runs in five matches at an average of 40.25 and a strike rate of 151.88, leading Fortune Barishal.