MAZHAR UDDIN from Chattogram

As the members of the Bangladesh team returned to their rooms at the team hotel in Chattogram following defeat to Afghanistan in the first ODI on Wednesday, there were arguments, disappointment, agitation, anger and a lot of emotion flowing around in Tamim Iqbal’s room till midnight.

It came as a big shock for those present in Tamim’s room, including his elder brother Nafees Iqbal and a handful of his close friends, to whom the 34-year-old had first revealed his decision to retire from international cricket.

There were long phone conversations between Tamim and his wife in Dhaka, and it was learnt that the family members requested him to reconsider his decision.

Emotions were high and so was the grief for the highest run-getter for Bangladesh in ODIs, but Tamim remained adamant in his decision to make the toughest call of his life.

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