Mashrafe Mortaza, a former captain of Bangladesh, has launched a stinging criticism on the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for the way they handled Tamim Iqbal’s case in the run-up to the eagerly awaited World Cup in 2023. Tamim’s unwillingness to bat in the lower middle order and subsequent exclusion from Bangladesh’s World Cup squad—a decision apparently influenced by a senior BCB official—set off the issue.
Mashrafe Mortaza, the captain of the Tigers during their World Cup run in 2019, was unapologetic in his response to the controversy on his official Facebook page. Known for his steadfast leadership on the field, he believed that Shakib Al Hasan, the team captain, and the Bangladesh team administration should have been responsible for managing such a significant matter. He offered a straightforward remedy,
As the captain, Shakib might have texted Tamim or had a brief conversation, stating, “I have this plan; we’ll talk about it later.
In a video that Mashrafe Mortaza put on his Facebook page, he stated, “I think that would have handled the entire issue here.
The former captain expressed his surprise that the BCB hierarchy, as opposed to important cricket decision-makers like the coach, captain, or team selectors, who ultimately decide the playing XI, issued the order regarding the southpaw’s batting position and potential exclusion from the opening game. The 39-year-old contended that it would have made more sense to disclose this choice following the formal team announcement or a few days prior to the first game.
According to what I know about cricket, the coach, captain, or a selector who would go with the squad should have given the order of batting or the recommendation to skip the first game. Not from a BCB representative. They could have mentioned it two days prior to the first game or after the squad was revealed. I don’t know why you told Tamim about this before announcing the squad, he said.
Shakib refers to Tamim Iqbal’s behavior as “childish.”
Following a verbal exchange between Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal, the former Bangladesh all-rounder delivered this stinging assessment. In a direct evaluation, Shakib had called the Bangladesh opener’s behavior “childish” and had openly reprimanded him for putting his own interests ahead of those of the team. He also brought up the 34-year-old’s unwillingness to adapt his batting role.
The Bangladeshi team is preparing for their initial encounter against Afghanistan on October 6 as well as their first warm-up match against Sri Lanka on October 1 in Guwahati. The cricketing community is now anxiously awaiting how this drama plays out on the massive stage of the World Cup 2023.
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