Under-fire Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal rested for one-off Test against Afghanistan, T20I triangular series

Dhaka: Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have decided to rest out-of-form opener Tamim Iqbal for next month’s one-off Test against Afghanistan following a request from the player, an official said on Saturday.

Afghanistan arrive later in August for their maiden Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong from 5 September.

Chief selector Minhajul Abedin said Tamim would also be rested during a tri-nation Twenty20 tournament from 13 September which will also involve Zimbabwe.

Abedin said the board had accepted Tamim’s request for a break.

“He will now rest both in the Test match against Afghanistan and also the tri-nation tournament,” he told AFP.

Bangladesh’s top run scorer in all formats, Tamim struggled in the recent World Cup where he scored only 235 in eight innings at 29.37 average.

He was later made interim captain for a three-match one-day international series in Sri Lanka in the absence of injured skipper Mashrafe Mortaza.

But the leadership role failed to bring out his best as Tamim made only 21 runs in three matches and Bangladesh lost the series 0-3.

Team-mate Shakib Al Hasan, who did not play the Sri Lanka series, advised Tamim to take some time off to regain form.

Tamim is now expected to return during the November tour in India when Bangladesh are scheduled to play two Tests and three Twenty20 internationals.