From the toss to the hospital: match referee recounts Tamim's ordeal

Mohammedan Sporting Club faced Shinepukur Cricket Club in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League. Tamim Iqbal arrived at BKSP on time and conducted the toss as usual. However, what followed was a nightmare. The veteran opener experienced severe chest pain and was rushed to KPJ Specialized Hospital and Nursing College, located near BKSP.

After feeling slightly better, Tamim returned to BKSP. But soon after, his condition worsened, and he had to be taken back to the hospital. Medical tests revealed that he had suffered two heart attacks. An angiogram was conducted immediately, and a stent was placed in his heart.

Match referee Debabrata Paul closely witnessed the entire incident, from Tamim's presence at the toss to his hospitalization. He conducted the toss at BKSP's Field No. 3 alongside both captains. Speaking to the media, he shared his firsthand account of the events.

This is how he described the incident:

*"For those of us who saw it up close, the whole situation was unimaginable. I have worked with cricketers for a long time, having played the game myself. But I have never experienced anything like this in my career. In the morning, I conducted the toss with Tamim and the two captains. After the toss, the captains usually leave, but we had a meeting the previous day, so Tamim and I spoke for about three to four minutes. After that, he went to the dressing room, and I resumed my duties.

The match started as usual. About 40 minutes into the game, team physio Enam called me and said that Tamim was experiencing chest pain and that they needed to take him to the hospital. We had an ambulance on standby at the ground, and Tamim's personal vehicle was also available. I saw him get into the car and leave, and I immediately granted permission. Afterward, I checked on his condition and was told that upon arrival, the doctors conducted an ECG. The doctors advised him to stay for some time, but Tamim insisted on going to Dhaka. By then, he had contacted his family and arranged for a helicopter.

At that time, I was on the field, coordinating with the BKSP doctor and trainer Dalim. When I heard that the helicopter was arriving, Mohammedan's manager informed me. Instantly, I realized that my vehicle needed to be brought to Field No. 1, where the running track was located for the helicopter landing. When we got there, Tamim was unresponsive—he had lost consciousness.

We were terrified. We didn't know whether to put him on the helicopter or keep him in the vehicle. I immediately asked the doctor for advice. Dalim was trying to revive him, but foam was coming from his mouth, and there was no pulse—it was a critical situation. The doctor warned that if he was airlifted, he might be deprived of immediate medical treatment. So, without any delay, we rushed him to the hospital, and thankfully, there was no traffic. We reached in about four to five minutes. When we arrived, an entire medical team was already prepared, and from what I understood, they even had to place him on life support at one point."*