How Tamim Iqbal is spending his time while Bangladesh play in the World Cup

Tamim Iqbal is undoubtedly Bangladesh's most decorated ODI batter. The southpaw could have been a key part of the team's plans but after a series of sensational events, the opener opted out of the mega event, just ahead of the squad announcement. 

Since his debut, the opening batter had not missed an ICC ODI event and it is highly unlikely that he will return to international cricket. So, it won't be wrong to say that the 2019 World Cup remains the last ICC event featuring Tamim.

Tamim, now 34, was set to play his fifth 50-over World Cup alongside long-time teammates Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim. 

So, how is Tamim spending his time while his teammates are plying their trades in India in the World Cup? Tamim has not given any interview since his World Cup omission. He has made a few posts on social media though. He has been spending time with his family. On 19 October, the day Bangladesh lost to India in the World Cup, Tamim flew to Dubai with his family.

At the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Tamim bumped into filmmaker Srijit Mukherji, also a former sports journalist who recently directed a movie based on the life of former Indian cricketer Mithali Raj. 

"Fanboy moment with another Bengali who lorded over Lord's," wrote Srijit on Facebook, posting a photo of him with Tamim. Srijit probably drew a parallel between his compatriot Sourav Ganguly and Tamim Iqbal as both of them have their names registered at the Lord's Honours Board.

Let's go back a little bit. Before the management made a call about his availability in the squad, Tamim told the selectors about the "discomfort" he was feeling. The former captain told them to consider that before selecting him in the XV.

Reports in local media suggested that Tamim didn't want to play more than five matches in the World Cup. It angered captain Shakib and head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, prompting them to consult the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan. Former captain Mashrafe Mortaza intervened but the inevitable happened. 

Just hours after the Bangladesh contingent flew for India, Tamim revealed that he never said he would play five matches in the tournament. In a shocking statement, Tamim said that a BCB official asked him to sit out or bat lower down the order against Afghanistan in Bangladesh's World Cup opener. The veteran cricketer felt it was part of a "dirty game" to get rid of him and said he didn't want to be part of it.

Since the squad announcement, Tamim has not taken part in any sort of cricketing activity. Hours after Shakib questioned his commitment to the team in an interview, Tamim quoted Walt Whitman on Facebook, writing, "Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you."

After that, Tamim made a couple of promotional Facebook posts ahead of Bangladesh's World Cup campaign, one of which also involved Shakib, with whom he once shared a great relationship. 

Tamim congratulated Bangladesh after their win over Afghanistan in their first World Cup match. "Congratulations Bangladesh. A good start. Keep marching strong boys. One game at a time," he wrote on Facebook. 

After the match, head coach Hathurusingha attended the post-match press conference and Tamim was part of the group of people that watched it live on ICC's official Facebook page. The screenshot went viral in no time.

On 11 October, Tamim penned a heartwarming note, hailing umpire Sharfuddoula who has become the first umpire from Bangladesh to officiate in the World Cup.

Tamim posted a photo of him sitting on a speedboat at the river Shitalakkhya, just after Bangladesh's loss to New Zealand on 13 October. 

The former skipper hailed the Bangladesh football team after they made the second round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. 

"This is big and must be celebrated!!! Congratulations Bangladesh Football Team," Tamim wrote on Facebook. 

The Business Standard tried to contact Tamim to know how he has been but he did not respond.