Shakib Al Hasan: It is totally childish, it is my bat, I will play and no one else can play, a player should bat at any position for the team

The Bangladesh cricket team is going through a difficult time, just before the start of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 While many people were surprised by Tamim’s departure from the team, Shakib said that the management had no choice but to fire Tamim since he is “childish” and a player who prioritizes his success over the success of the team.

The Bangladesh cricket team is going through a difficult time, just before the start of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Tamim Iqbal, the Bangla Tigers’ outstanding opening batter, was unable to make the final 15-man squad because Shakib Al Hasan was chosen as the team’s captain. 

Many people were surprised by Tamim’s departure from the team, but according to Captain Shakib, the management had no choice but to fire Tamim since he was “childish” and a player who prioritized his success over the success of the team.

In an interview with Bangladeshi media source T Sports, Shakib attacked Tamim, saying the opener didn’t want to bat in the middle order even though it would have been advantageous to the squad. Shakib gave the Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma as an example to explain why a player will always keep the team ahead.

“Someone like Rohit Sharma built his career from No. 7 to opener, scored 10,000-plus runs. If he sometimes bats at No. 3 or 4, would it be a big problem? It is totally childish. It is my bat, I will play. No one else can play. A player should bat at any position for the team. Team first. It doesn’t make any difference if you have made 100 or 200, and the team loses. What can you do with personal achievement? You want to make a name for yourself?”

he said.

“You are not thinking about the team at all. People don’t understand these things. Why was the proposal given to him? It was for the team. What is wrong with that? You are a team man when you agree to such a proposal. Unless you are thinking along those lines, you are not a team man. You are playing for individual records, success, fame, and name. Not for the team,”

he added.

Tamim reportedly wasn’t fully fit to compete in the entire World Cup. Despite the batter’s claims that he was healthy enough for the World Cup, the Bangladesh Cricket Board decided not to include him in the team. Shakib, though, said that he didn’t want to add a player to the squad whose fitness was in doubt.

“I didn’t discuss the subject with the particular player, medical team, or selector. It is definitely the board’s decision. People might doubt my capability or capacity but someone like MS Dhoni, who has won everything and has the knowledge and sense, once, said that the unfit player who is playing is cheating his team and country. I think we should accept it, and not just Tamim but every player (that you have to be fully fit when playing for the team or country).”

Shakib was also disappointed by Tamim’s decision to step down as Bangladesh captain just 2 months before the start of the ODI World Cup.

“I have often heard in the dressing room that he is leaving the captaincy. Even a player once told him ‘Bhai, leave it early so that the new captain gets a bit of time’. Exactly that’s what happened. The one who came in didn’t get the time. Each and everyone knew including the selectors and board officials. Papon Bhai (BCB president Nazmul Hassan) certainly knew about it,”

said Shakib.

“I don’t know why he didn’t leave it (earlier). He can tell you. It is like, your commander takes you to war but (Shakib mimicking a soldier) after he has got you ready, the commander isn’t telling you to fire or retreat. Where will you go? We were in this situation in the last two matches against Afghanistan (in July).

“The captain wouldn’t have changed ahead of the Asia Cup and the World Cup unless he announced that he was resigning or retiring. It would have happened 18 months ago, when everyone knew what was about to happen,”

he explained.

Shakib Al Hasan said that he wants to retire from all forms of cricket after the 2025 Champions Trophy. Shakib expressed that he will not continue to lead the team after the 2023 ODI World Cup.

“As far as international career is concerned, what I see at this moment is it is up to the 2025 Champions Trophy that is the ODI format. The T20 format is up to the 2024 World Cup and that’s it. As far as the Test goes, maybe sooner, maybe after the World Cup,”

Shakib told sports channel T-sports about his retirement plans, on Wednesday.

“Maybe I will retire from three formats at the same time and no one can tell about the future but at this moment I have such an idea,”

he said, adding that he never wanted full authority when captaincy was offered to him.

“As far as reality goes, I will lead till this World Cup and I won’t lead in ODIs after that. Let me clear one thing – I resigned as captain on [September] 17th, and when I did that, I did not know that this kind of situation was coming up,”

he said.

“Papon (Nazmul) Bhai and team management said that they need me as captain. Not for me, but for the team, and I agreed.

Bangladesh will play two World Cup warm-up games at Guwahati against Sri Lanka and England respectively. They will play the opening game of their World Cup against Afghanistan at Dharamsala on 7 October. 

Bangladesh World Cup Squad: Shakib al Hasan (c), Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto (vc), Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Tanzim Sakib, Nasum Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman.