Bangladesh received a major blow ahead of their match against Australia in the ICC World Twenty20 as they lost their in-form opener Tamim Iqbal due to viral disease.
The blow could not have come at any worst time for Tigers as their strength was already dented after losing two of their premier bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Arafat Sunny due to suspect bowling action.
‘He is having some kind of food poisoning,’ said Rabeed Imam, the media manager of Bangladesh Cricket Board, currently working for the International Cricket Council on deputation.
‘He is having pain in his stomach while he is also having some kind of fever,’ said Rabeed.
Bangladesh were desperately looking for Tamim to blaze against Australia as he had been going through some kind of purple patch in this edition of the ICC World Twenty20.
Tamim took the responsibility of taking Bangladesh to the Super-10s of the tournament as he performed extremely well and in the qualifying stage at Dharamshala.
Tamim scored the maiden Twenty20 century for his country through his rollicking unbeaten 103 runs against Oman in their do-or-die match that Tigers required to win to have a berth in the Super10s phase.
‘I think it is very disappointing to lose someone of his calibre ahead of such a crucial match,’ former national cricketer turned commentator Atahar Ali told New Age.
Tamim’s showed his form in the very first match of the tournament when he blazed unbeaten 83 runs against Netherlands to help Tigers begin the tournament on the right note.
He followed his unbeaten half-century with a quick fire 47 runs against Ireland in the rain curtailed 12-over match that built the platform for Tigers to post a substantial total on the board before the match was washed-out.
Bangladesh were looking forward to Tamim as another opener Soumya Sarkar is yet to find his form in the tournament while their most consistent performer Mushfiqur Rahim is also not among runs.
Team sources said that Tamim tried some vegetable item last night and failed to digest it.
-With New Age input