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'It's Not Appropriate,' Mashrafe Mortaza Defends Tamim Iqbal In World Cup Selection Saga

image-ln3eh8ufTamim Iqbal will not travel to India for the 2023 World Cup (x.com)

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) recently unveiled their 15-player squad for the forthcoming World Cup 2023 in India. Much to everyone’s surprise, senior opening batsman Tamim Iqbal was excluded from the line-up, with many speculating his injury concerns as the reason behind his omission from the tournament.

However, Tamim later clarified that he opted himself out of the squad because he was not pleased with BCB’s last-minute terms and conditions. He claimed that he was asked by a BCB official to either sit out or bat lower down the order in Bangladesh’s opening World Cup 2023 match against Afghanistan.

After Bangladesh’ World Cup bound captain Shakib Al Hasan lambasted the opener for not complying with potential team adjudgments, former skipper Mashrafe Mortaza has now given his take over the entire selection controversy.

Mashrafe gives his take on Tamim Iqbal’s decision

Former Bangladesh captain and Tamim Iqbal’s ex-teammate Mashrafe Mortaza weighed in on the opener’s controversial self-snubbing from team’s upcoming World Cup 2023 crusade. The cricketer-turned-politician said that Tamim has been playing for a long time and it is not appropriate for others to comment on any decision he makes. He said:

“Tamim Iqbal has been playing for a long time. What Tamim likes and dislikes is known to everyone. So, it's not appropriate to say what he doesn't like. It was better to think a little more to identify the thing that he would like or he would not like.”

Regardless, Bangladesh team under Shakib Al Hasan is slated to face Afghanistan on October 7 to commence their World Cup 2023 run in India. The much-awaited contest will be hosted by the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala.

Ahead of Bangladesh’s opening game, here is a look at their entire 15-player World Cup 2023 squad:

Shakib Al Hasan (c), Tanzid Tamim, Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Towhid Hridoy, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam and Tanzim Hasan Sakib.