Tamim accuses a BCB high-up for World Cup snub

Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal accused an official of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) of ruining his World Cup dream.

In a video message, he said he received unfair treatment from this top-level BCB guy but he didn't reveal the official's name.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced a 15-member World Cup squad, leaving out Tamim Iqbal, to everyone's surprise as the southpaw looked set for his fifth World Cup as far as his fitness is concerned.

Tamim said he was quite okay to play the World Cup after feeling fine following a 44-run against New Zealand in the second match. He thought he was on course of recovery ahead of Bangladesh's World Cup opener against Afghanistan on October 7.

Tamim said he was the victim of a dirty environment that created several obstacles for him in the last few months and he simply is not taking it anymore, so he had to opt out of the World Cup.

"Someone called me from the top level of the board. He is very involved with our cricket. He said that if you go to the World Cup, you have to play the matches by managing your injury. You better do one thing-– don't play the first match against Afghanistan," Tamim revealed through a video posted on his verified Facebook profile today.

"I replied the Afghanistan match is still 12/13 days away. In 12/13 days I will be in better condition. Why shouldn't I play? Then he said that if you play you have to bat down the order. After hearing this I was shocked as I never in my 17-year career batted down the order apart from opening position.

Naturally, you have to remember one thing from which mindset I came. After recovering from the injury I played a good innings, and I was happy. Suddenly these things happen. It is not possible for me to take it."

He went on to say: "Naturally I reacted angrily. Because I didn't like it. I feel like I'm being forced to do many things. That I felt. Then I said look, you do one thing if you have such thoughts then don't send me. I don't want to be in this mess. I don't want to be a part of this dirty game. You make me face something new every day. I don't want to stay here. We have had a lot of discussion and debate thereafter but I am not disclosing here all of those here."

Tamim further revealed that he felt ready to take the plane to India as everything seemed okay to him.

"I was very happy after the game. I was very happy at the way I batted, I felt confident."

Media reports suggested that Tamim wanted to play just five matches in the World Cup, considering his injury concern. According to the news of several media outlets, the team management doesn't want to include a half-fit player in the team.

Tamim in the video message revealed the physio report as he stated that he never told anyone that he would play just five matches. Terming this report as baseless he said: "I have the physio report and if anyone can challenge me I accept it. The report said I had pain after the first match and the second

match. It said that I was available for the match on September 26 but the medical department believed that if I was rested and played the second practice match on October 2 then I would get enough time ahead of the first match (of the World Cup against Afghanistan)."

This report clearly indicated that Tamim was on his way to play his fifth World Cup.

"This would give me two weeks of rehabilitation and put me in a much better place to play the first match," he explained.

"After playing the game, three selectors came into the dressing room and I talked to them. I am sure Nannu bhai (a chief selector) also made it clear that I didn't tell them I want to play just five matches in the World Cup."

/KN/