FILE PHOTO: Cricket - Second ODI - Bangladesh v England - Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh - March 3, 2023 Bangladesh's Tamim Iqbal reacts after the dismissal of Mushfiqur Rahman REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File Photo
(Reuters) - Former Bangladesh one-day captain Tamim Iqbal has announced his retirement from international cricket, saying he did not wish to be a distraction for the team ahead of the Champions Trophy.
Tamim made his international debut in a 2007 One-Day International (ODI) against Zimbabwe in Harare. He played 243 ODIs, 70 tests and 78 Twenty20 internationals (T20Is).
Tamim previously retired from international cricket a few months before the 50-overs World Cup in India in 2023, but reversed that decision in a day. He then missed out on the World Cup due to a back injury.
The 35-year-old scored over 15,000 runs across all formats and hit 25 centuries - the most by any Bangladesh batter. He last played for Bangladesh in their 2-0 ODI series defeat at home against New Zealand in September 2023.
"I have been away from international cricket for a long time. That distance will remain. My chapter in international cricket is over," he wrote in a post on social media.
"I have been thinking about this for a long time. Now that a big event like the Champions Trophy is coming up, I do not want to be the focus of anyone's attention, which could lead to the team losing their focus."
The Champions Trophy will take place in Pakistan from Feb. 19-March 9. Bangladesh are in Group A, alongside hosts and defending champions Pakistan, New Zealand and India.
"Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto sincerely asked me to return to the team (for the Champions Trophy)," Tamim added.
"There were discussions with the selection committee too. I am grateful to them for still considering me in the team. However, I have listened to my own heart."
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
