Tamim Iqbal honoured by BCB after winning BPL title  

The BPL final had just concluded, and Fortune Barishal were celebrating their second consecutive title. The initial celebrations were team-focused, followed by a lap around the Mirpur Stadium as the players acknowledged the cheers of their supporters. Then came the Tamim Iqbal segment.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had announced the previous day that the veteran opener would receive a special memento before the award ceremony. After leading his team to the championship, Tamim accepted the prestigious honour.

Tamim retired from international cricket on 10 January, and this recognition from the BCB was in appreciation of his contributions to Bangladesh cricket. The tribute began with a video montage on the giant screen at Mirpur Stadium, showcasing highlights from Tamim's illustrious career, including his century celebration at Lord's and his one-handed batting moments.

This was followed by messages from teammates who had played alongside him, sharing their experiences and extending their best wishes.

The segment then featured Tamim's long-time national teammates Mahmudullah Riyad and Mushfiqur Rahim, who were invited by the host to speak about their journey with Bangladesh's premier batsman. Following their tributes, Tamim was presented with a commemorative plaque framed with his Test, ODI, and T20 jerseys.

Winning the title and receiving BCB's special honour on the same night left Tamim deeply moved. Amidst the celebrations, he delivered a heartfelt message to cricket fans, addressing the ongoing rivalry among supporters of individual players. He expressed concern that such divisions were damaging Bangladesh cricket and urged everyone to support the team rather than specific individuals.

"The fans were incredible, and I sincerely thank them. But there are no 'Sakibians,' 'Tamimians,' or 'Mashrafians.' There is only one thing to support—Bangladesh," Tamim stated.

"These things have been destroying Bangladesh cricket. So, please, let's put an end to it. You can be my fan, Sakib's fan, or Mashrafe's fan, but when we play, we do so as Bangladeshi cricketers. This mindset will harm the younger generation. This is my final message—first and foremost, we are all Bangladeshis. Nothing else matters. So, please support the team. This is your team. The players are young; they will make mistakes, they will play. But this is your team. There should be no individual loyalties—just support Bangladesh."

Tamim's Illustrious International Career

Tamim made his international debut in ODIs 17 years ago, playing his first match for Bangladesh against Kenya on 9 February 2007. He played his final ODI against New Zealand at home in September 2023. Over 243 ODI matches, Tamim amassed 8,357 runs at an average of 36.65, including 14 centuries and 56 half-centuries. He remains the only Bangladeshi batsman to surpass 8,000 ODI runs and leads the nation in both centuries and half-centuries in this format.

In Test cricket, Tamim scored 5,134 runs in 134 innings across 70 matches at an average of 38.89, with 10 centuries and 31 half-centuries—making him the second-highest Test run-scorer for Bangladesh. He last played a Test for the country in April 2023.

In T20 Internationals, Tamim scored 1,758 runs in 78 matches at an average of 24.65, including one century and seven half-centuries. His T20I hundred remains the only one by a Bangladeshi batsman. He played his final T20I in March 2020 before announcing his retirement from the format in July 2022.