DHAKA (Reuters) – Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal opted out of this year’s Twenty20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday citing lack of game time as he continues to recover from a knee injury.
Tamim hurt his knee during the April-May tour of Sri Lanka but chief selector Minhajul Abedin was optimistic Bangladesh’s one-day captain would regain his fitness ahead of the World Cup in October-November.
“Game time is the biggest reason. I haven’t been playing this format for a long time,” Tamim, who played the last of his 78 Twenty20 Internationals in March 2020, said in a video posted on his Facebook page.
“I don’t think my injury is a concern, because I think I’d be fit before the World Cup. The main reason is I don’t think it would be fair on those players who have played in the last 15-16 T20 matches that I haven’t played.”
Tamim’s selection in the World Cup squad was seen as a matter of him regaining his fitness and the 32-year-old said he was not quitting the 20-overs format.
Bangladesh will play Scotland in their first opening round match on Oct. 17 in Muscat.
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Christian Radnedge)
