The Tamim-Shakib issue has been in turmoil for a few days now. This time the former captain of the Bangladesh team and MP Mashrafe bin Mortuza spoke about that issue. Today (Thursday) posted a video on his official page on the social media Facebook about the Tamim-Shaqib conflict in the cricket arena. Apart from speaking there, he also asked a few questions.
At the beginning of the video, Mashrafe said, ‘Tamim was told not to play or if he played, Khanitka batted behind for the benefit of the team in the first match of the World Cup against Afghanistan. Someone higher up in BCB told him this. The ever-opener Tamim did not take it well. No one in the cricket board has the right to say where Tamim will bat. It will be said by the coach or the captain.’
Masharafi said to Bangladesh national team captain Shakib Al Hasan, “Shakib said that cricketers may need to bat in different positions for the needs of the team. Here in my opinion, Shakib as a captain should have given Tamim a message or a call to talk for a minute. He could have said on the phone that I have a different plan for you. Then this issue would not have come forward.’
Remembering the importance and acceptance of Shakib in the country’s cricket, Mash said, ‘If Shakib wants something, no former or current cricketer of this country will refuse him. That’s why it was very important for Tamim to talk about Shakib.’
Meanwhile, Mashrafe said that Tamim is at fault, ‘Someone from the board spoke to Tamim, where at one stage he (Tamim) got excited. After that he did not want to be in the team by himself. I think it was also his wrong decision.’
Notably, Tamim Iqbal Khan left an explosive comment on social media through a video message about India not getting a team in the World Cup. Later, Shakib also spoke about it in a TV interview. Then Mashrafe bin Mortuza spoke.
(28 September/MM)