Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal created a lot of uproar when he said during a press conference that he ‘wasn’t a 100 percent fit’ before a game against Afghanistan in July this year.

Bangladesh’s stand-in captain Liton Das said he would like the experienced duo of Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah Riyad to play freely and enjoy their game during the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, starting in Mirpur tomorrow. 

Liton Das will lead the team in the first two matches as regular skipper Shakib Al Hasan has been rested.

The reality exposed in the ongoing Asia Cup for Bangladesh has certainly compelled Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the team management to only hope that their best players will be available for the upcoming World Cup in October.

Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal is hopeful that he will be able to recover from his back injury and feature from the start in the upcoming three-match ODI series at home against New Zealand, scheduled to begin on September 21.

Tamim finds it unwise to judge the Tigers after a couple of failures in the ongoing Asia Cup.

If the hum of anxiety in and around the team can be muted out, the Tigers' strength can come to the forefront of the performances.

A backup is never just a backup. The training of the nine cricketers at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, who have been kept as backup options with the upcoming World Cup in mind, is well-integrated to the needs of the national team, as per head coach Chandika Hathurusingha's instructions.

Bangladesh won the opening match against Sri Lanka by a crushing 137-run margin at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, courtesy of Mushfiqur Rahim’s 150-ball 144

Having once captained Bangladesh in the biggest cricket event in 2011, the 36-year-old finds himself at the helm of the ODI side again just ahead of the World Cup after Tamim Iqbal stepped down from captaincy.

Bashar considers Tamim's experience invaluable for the Tigers. 

Experienced Mahmudullah Riyad did not make the cut while Tanzid Hossain Tamim got his first national team call-up as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced a 17-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup later this month.

Bangladesh team continued their training camp yesterday with the players going through the gears, doing endurance training along with some fielding exercises. There was even a specific drill for spinners that caught the media's interest.

Former ODI captain Tamim Iqbal went to the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium yesterday while national team players were undergoing the last day of their fitness drills, ahead of skill training camp which begins on August 8.

By the looks of it, Shakib Al Hasan is in pole position to take up the reins of the side for the ODI World Cup in India, with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan on Saturday saying that appointing Shakib is the “easiest choice”.

Former ODI captain Tamim Iqbal came to the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Sunday while the national team players were going through the last day of their fitness drills before the start of skill training on August 8.

As a lingering back injury forced Tamim Iqbal to sit out the upcoming Asia Cup, once again the Bangladesh selectors are faced with a new challenge: to find a replacement for the experienced cricketer in crucial opening position.

The most crucial aspect in the situation surrounding Tamim Iqbal's injury is how things were allowed to escalate so far that led to the skipper having to step down from captaincy.

Tamim Iqbal stepped down from captaincy yesterday after the much-awaited meeting with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan Papon and cricket operations chairman Jalal Yunus, with injury at the heart of the decision.

“We have to know what he [Tamim] thinks regarding the Asia Cup and whether he will play. If he plays, we will definitely ask for his opinion. Even if he communicates that he won’t be able to play, we have to think of alternatives and also ask for his opinion. We are hoping he will sit with us in the next one or two days,” the BCB president said yesterday