Bangladesh cricket fans have reason to cheer. Tamim Iqbal, one of their most successful batsmen, returns to the national team for the upcoming ODI series against England. The 32-year-old opening batsman has been named in the squad for the three-match series. Which will be held in Dhaka from 7th to 14th March 2023.
Importance of Tamim Iqbal’s Return
Tamim Iqbal’s return to the Bangladesh team is a significant boost to the squad. Though he has struggled to find consistency in recent times. The left-handed opener has been a vital cog in the Bangladesh cricket team for over a decade. Moreover, is one of the most experienced players in the current setup. He has been out of the national team for the past few months due to a knee injury. However, he has made a strong comeback in domestic cricket. Tamim did score heavily in the recent Dhaka Premier Division T20 Cricket League.
Tamim Iqbal: Past Performances
Bangladesh cricket fans will be hoping that Tamim Iqbal can replicate his domestic form in the international arena. He has a wealth of experience playing against top-quality opposition. In fact, he has performed consistently against some of the world’s best teams. Tamim has represented Bangladesh in 77 Tests, 210 ODIs, and 87 T20Is, scoring over 13,000 runs across all formats. He has been a prolific run-scorer for Bangladesh in ODI cricket. As per stats, he has 7116 runs to his name at an impressive average of 36.04. His highest score of 158 not out came against Zimbabwe in 2009. And he did score 14 centuries and 47 half-centuries in his ODI career.
The Opening Combination
Tamim Iqbal’s inclusion in the Bangladesh squad adds stability to the opening combination. Though, which has been a cause of concern for the team in recent times. In his absence, Bangladesh tried several combinations at the top, but none of them provided the desired results. Tamim’s return will bring much-needed stability to the opening partnership in Bangladesh vs England ODIs. Moreover, it will allow other batsmen to play more freely in the middle order. Bangladesh will be hoping that Tamim can form a strong opening partnership with Liton Das, who has been in good form in recent times.
Bangladesh’s Chances Against England
Upcoming Bangladesh vs England ODIs series will be a tough challenge for the Bangladesh cricket team. England is one of the best teams in the world in limited-overs cricket. Moreover, they have a well-balanced side that can perform well in all conditions. However, Bangladesh has the advantage of playing at home, where they have a good record in recent times. If they can get off to a good start and play to their potential, they can give a tough fight to the visitors. Bangladesh will be banking on its spinners to do well on home soil. In addition, the likes of Mehidy Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan, and Taijul Islam will have a crucial role to play.
Tamim Iqbal: A 6-month break from T20I cricket
There has been news about Tamim Iqbal’s retirement from T20I cricket. Though, the reality is, he did take a break from this short format cricket in order to focus on the other formats. The voluntary announcement he made was for 6 months in September 2021. In addition, there is no official statement about his permanent retirement from T20 cricket. He even did play in Bangladesh’s premier League. Though in the match against Fortune Barishal, he played on February 2023, the performance was not up to the mark. However, in the last international T20 match he did play on March 9, 2020, his performance was impressive. He did score 41 runs in just 33 balls.
Tamim Iqbal: Leadership Qualities
Apart from his batting prowess, Tamim Iqbal’s leadership qualities will also be crucial for the Bangladesh cricket team. Tamim has previously captained Bangladesh in all three formats of the game and has a good understanding of the game. His experience and leadership will be invaluable for the team during Bangladesh vs England ODIs. Especially in the absence of regular captain Mushfiqur Rahim, who has been ruled out of the series due to a thumb injury.
Tamim’s Records Against England
Tamim Iqbal has a good record against England in ODI cricket. He has scored 807 runs in 18 matches against England at an average of 44.83. Which includes two centuries and five-half centuries. His highest score against England in ODIs is 128, which he scored in 2010. Tamim has been a thorn in England’s side in the past. Additionally, the visitors will be wary of his presence on the Bangladesh team. Thus the team will give a tough fight during Bangladesh vs England ODIs.
Conclusion
Tamim Iqbal, return to the Bangladesh cricket team is a big boost for the side for Bangladesh vs England ODIs. In fact, his inclusion will bring much-needed stability to the team. Bangladesh has struggled in recent times. However, Tamim’s experience and leadership qualities will be crucial for the team. Especially in the absence of regular captain Mushfiqur Rahim. The upcoming ODI series against England will be a tough challenge for Bangladesh. However, they have the advantage of playing at home. Moreover, they will be hoping to give a tough fight to the visitors. If Tamim Iqbal can replicate his domestic form in the international arena. Definitely, he can be the key for Bangladesh in its quest for success against England.
