Bangladesh to rest off-form Tamim Iqbal for Afghanistan Tests and T20s

Bangladesh Cricket Board 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.

Tamim Iqbal rested 

Afghanistan arrives later in August for their maiden Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong from September 5. Chief selector Minhajul Abedin said Tamim would also be rested during a tri-nation Twenty20 tournament from September 13 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. 

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Mashrafe Mortaza seeks more time to decide on retirement

The 35-year-old seamer missed the latest Sri Lanka tour last month -- which the Tigers lost 0-3 -- due to a hamstring injury and is facing a long absence from international cricket as Bangladesh are not scheduled to play any ODIs until June next year.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) last week said they were planning to host a one-off ODI sometime in September against Zimbabwe to organize a farewell for Mashrafe. Zimbabwe will be visiting Bangladesh next month to play a tri-nation Twenty20 tournament involving the hosts and Afghanistan.

But the plan has been shelved following Mashrafe's meeting Saturday with board officials.

"He sought two months to make his final decision and we said that is fine," BCB president Nazmul Hassan told reporters.

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(With PTI inputs)