It is totally childish: Shakib Al Hasan amid Tamim Iqbal controversy

NEW DELHI: Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan gave a befitting reply to his teammate Tamim Iqbal, calling his behaviour “childish”.

Tamim has been inconsistent in the Bangladesh squad after the back injury, he was out of Asia Cup 2023 and was also not selected for the Bangladesh World Cup squad on Tuesday, citing a persistent back injury.

Earlier on Wednesday, Tamim posted a video on Facebook, claiming he was not selected for the squad due to growing tension between him and BCB officials instead of not being fit enough to take part in the tournament.

Speaking to Dhaka-based TV channel T-Sports, Shakib said, "I am sure someone who is authorized had said this (to Tamim). I am sure whoever has said it, he thought of the team. A lot of things go into building a combination for a match. So if someone has said this to him, was it wrong? Or we can't make such a proposal? I am just going to tell someone that you can do whatever you want. Is the team first or the individual?"

Criticising Tamim, Shakib stated him of being childish and not a team player.

"Someone like Rohit Sharma built his career from No. 7 to opener, scoring 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? Do you want to make a name for yourself?

"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.

The whole controversy started back in July 2023, when Tamim suffered a back injury and suggested that he was playing in pain. It led to his missing the Asia Cup and the final match of his comeback series as well, against New Zealand, earlier this week.

Shakib further said that as a leader of the team, he doesn’t want anyone playing without being hundred per cent fit in the World Cup, it’s “cheating with the team.”

"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.

"Kane Williamson won't play the first two matches, but then he will start playing. If I knew something like this, I wouldn't have any problems.

But if I know that there's uncertainty about him playing the seventh or the third or the first game, or that I will only know in the morning of the game, it will be difficult for me to select the team. I don't think we need such a player."