DHAKA, Sept 27, 2023 (BSS)-Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal accused a high up of

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to ruin his World Cup dream.

In a video message, he said, he received an unfair treatment from this top
level BCB guy but he didn't reveal his name.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced 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 44-run against New Zealand in the second match. He though has pain,
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 and so he had to opt out 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 am shocked as I
never in my 17 years career batted down the order apart from opening positio.
Naturally you have to remember one thing from which mindset I came. After
recovering from the injury I played a good innings, I was happy. Suddenly
these things happen. It is not possible for me to take it."

He went on to saying: "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 the part of this dirty game. You
make me face something new every day. I don't want to stay here. We've a lot
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 report 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 am 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."