‘We could have done better’: Tamim Iqbal on Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup

Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal is currently the Interim President of Bangladesh Cricket Board (File) New Delhi: Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal is taking on a new challenge as the interim president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), installed by an ad-hoc committee earlier this year. In a free-wheeling chat with TimesofIndia.com, Tamim gets candid about how a heart attack pushed him into administration, his vision to improve the image of Bangladesh cricket and the changing dynamics of the global game. The former opener also discusses Bangladesh’s impressive rise in fast bowling, the importance of protecting Test cricket amid the T20 boom, concerns surrounding T20 leagues and the anticipated India-Bangladesh series. Tamim believes Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the T20 World Cup this year has tarnished the country’s reputation and feels cricket must always come first – regardless of off-field complications. Excerpt… How are you adjusting to your new role and how different is it from facing a new ball?Very, very different, but this is what I wanted. I wanted to fix things. When I played for the last 17-18 years with all my colleagues, the things that we always complained about as players, I want to fix all those things so that the players don’t complain anymore. I know very well that I can’t do everything, but I am pretty sure that I can do enough to make Bangladesh cricket better in terms of facilities.

I think in the recent past the reputational damage that Bangladesh cricket has gone through has not been much. In Bangladesh cricket means a lot to people and they are very proud of it. I need to get that pride back, so that’s what I’m trying to do.

Tamim Iqbal

Batting, bowling or fielding is not my job. I can’t bat, I can’t bowl, but I’m pretty sure I can help the players by giving them the best equipment possible so they can improve by two, three or five percent. That’s what I’m trying to do. I think in the recent past the reputational damage that Bangladesh cricket has gone through has not been much. In Bangladesh cricket means a lot to people and they are very proud of it. I need to get that pride back, so that’s what I’m trying to do.You talked about Bangladesh’s reputation, do you think Bangladesh’s withdrawal from T20 World Cup was bad?We could have handled the situation better. We could have mature discussions and find a way. Cricket should never suffer.

FILE – Bangladesh’s Rishad Hossain, right, is congratulated by teammate Mahmudullah after dismissing Australia’s Travis Head during the ICC T20 World Cup cricket match between Australia and Bangladesh in North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda, Thursday, June 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky

When did you decide to move to the other side of the table?The heart attack was the trigger for me. I had a heart attack last year when I was trying to return to the national team. And when I had a heart attack, I thought that was it. After the heart attack, I don’t think it was worth it because even if I played, I would only play for another year or two. I have a very young family and maybe I wasn’t ready to go back to cricket.Shall we see? India vs Bangladesh series in the near future after relations were affected ahead of the T20 World Cup?A series against India is scheduled for later this year. I am very hopeful that India will come and play the whole series. This is one bilateral series that people of Bangladesh really love to watch. They come down to earth and there is healthy competition. Bangladesh did really well in the last series against India. Whenever these two nations play, especially when India travel to Bangladesh, it is always very intense cricket.

PUNE, INDIA – OCTOBER 19: Mahmudullah of Bangladesh plays a shot as KL Rahul of India during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup India 2023 between India and Bangladesh at MCA International Stadium on October 19, 2023 in Pune, India. (Photo: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

I am very hopeful. There will always be problems and it is the responsibility of the cricket boards to sort them out. Now we have a new cricket board, an ad hoc committee has been formed and I am sure there will be communication and dialogue. At the end of the day cricket should win. Regardless of anything else, cricket should always win and that’s what I intend to try to do.I don’t think India-Bangladesh relations have any problems. If there are any, we can always discuss and resolve them. I very much hope that India will travel to Bangladesh.

I don’t think India-Bangladesh relations have any problems. If there are any, we can always discuss and resolve them. I very much hope that India will travel to Bangladesh later this year.

Tamim Iqbal

Test series win against Pakistan. First Bangladesh beat Pakistan away and now at home. How do you rate this win?If you watched the Test matches against Pakistan, both surfaces were sporting wickets. Bangladesh produced green, grass wickets in both Tests. This shows a change in mentality. It would be very easy for Bangladesh to go back to the spinning tracks and try to win the series but we have prepared the green tops and that is the change in mentality that I want to see in Bangladeshi cricket.We have to start doing well at home, especially in Test cricket. We have to make it a fortress. Yes, we have done well at home in T20s and ODIs, but we still haven’t ticked that box in Test cricket. Of course, we also want to win matches overseas because the confidence of winning Test matches at home will be huge.

Bangladesh cricket team celebrate their Test series victory over Pakistan (X | BCB)

Could you talk about the shift in Bangladesh’s mentality, especially in the fast bowling department?I watched it very closely because I was playing at the time. I think a lot of credit should go to then captain Mominul Haque. I still remember that in first-class matches he would see to it that the fast bowlers bowled maximum overs. I remember one first-class match because he and I were playing for the same team and I went to him and said we could easily pass the spinners. He said, “No, if I don’t make these fast bowlers now, how are they going to learn? Regardless of whether they do well or not, we need fast bowlers in the national team and they need to bowl as much as possible.”I think he was the main person who changed the fast bowling unit. He gave maximum importance to fast bowlers and made sure that they bowled maximum pitches in both domestic and international cricket. When fast bowlers started getting success, home players and young kids started believing that even in Bangladesh you can become a fast bowler, get success and become a superstar. A lot of credit must go to Mominul Haque and coaches like Allan Donald and Ottis Gibson also played a big role.

When fast bowlers started getting success, home players and young kids started believing that even in Bangladesh you can become a fast bowler, get success and become a superstar. A lot of credit goes to Mominul Haque and coaches like Allan Donald and Ottis Gibson also played a big role.

Tamim Iqbal

What is the future of cricket with so many global leagues and do you think ODI cricket will find a place in this busy calendar or will ODI World Cup 2027 be the last?The dynamic of cricket has definitely changed.The ODI World Cup is still the biggest event in cricket. Yes, there is a lot of interest in T20 cricket and T20 cricket is doing really well, but I am sure we have to find a way to balance that. Now there are many leagues around the world. Even the associated nations are coming up with T20 leagues.We have to find a way where everything is in balance. If this is ever discussed I’m sure everyone will have their own opinion. At the end of the day we have to save Test cricket because it is the most respected format and there is still a lot of interest in it. You might not see big crowds in a few countries, but there are still countries where stadiums are packed with Test cricketers. We need to make things a little more interesting.

Bangladesh’s Nahid Rana delivers a delivery during the second one-day international cricket match between Bangladesh and New Zealand in Mirpur, Bangladesh, Monday, April 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosaraf Hossain)

Let’s take an example Nahid Rana. If tomorrow a franchise that has teams in five or six different leagues gives a youngster a lucrative contract and asks him to shun red-ball cricket and become a globe-trotter, do you think it’s easy for today’s youngsters to focus on international cricket and ignore the T20 leagues where they can earn ten times the money?There’s one thing money can’t buy, and that’s passion to play for your country. If that was the case, 80 percent of cricketers could have gone that way. I have a lot of respect for franchise cricket, but when you play for your nation and your country, that’s something you can’t buy.

Do you think Tamim Iqbal will successfully improve the image of Bangladesh cricket in his new role?

Even in your country superstars can get massive offers but still play for the country. These are the things that come from your heart when you play for your nation.If I compare it to football, players are paid millions and millions of dollars, but when there is an opportunity to play for their country, they still go to play. There are certain things money can’t buy and playing for your country will never change. Yes there will be exceptions and a few cricketers might go but if you ask me the majority I don’t think it will change.