Tamim Iqbal did not hold back. The former Bangladesh cricket captain says that the country’s most popular sport is facing a serious crisis of public interest.
In a recent interview on Jamuna Sports, Tamim urged cricket authorities to take the matter seriously and involve experienced voices to help fix what he called deep, ongoing problems.
“This is an extremely high time to come together and figure out how to revive the game,” Tamim said. “Cricket was once the number one sport here. Interest is now declining massively.”
His concern goes beyond the team’s recent performance.
“We have lost 30 One-Day matches before. Even then, fans came to the stadium. But now, I see a clear drop in interest. That’s what worries me,” he said.
Call for a more inclusive approach
Tamim also revealed that there had been discussions in the past about him joining the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
“There was a brief conversation during Faruque Ahmed’s time. It didn’t move forward because I was still playing,” he explained.
But he believes that involving former players is now more important than ever.
“I think five people, including myself, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, and Imrul Kayes, should come into the cricket board in some capacity. Not necessarily as board directors or president. Someone could become a good coach, another a decision maker,” he said.
Tamim argued that if the sport had been on an upward trajectory for the past 30 years, such changes might not be needed. But with the graph now going down, the board must think differently.
The biggest issue: leadership lacks cricket knowledge
Tamim’s strongest comments focused on what he sees as the main problem facing Bangladesh cricket.
“There is one number one issue that should be addressed first,” he said. “Unfortunately, I cannot say this publicly. You know it. I know it.”
He went further, claiming that many of the current decision-makers lack the necessary understanding of the game.
“About 90 percent of them have no idea where the biggest problems lie in Bangladesh cricket,” he said. “The players know. The ones who play, they know. But no one is working on it. No one is even talking about it.”
Tamim expressed frustration that this gap in understanding continues to hurt the game’s progress.
A message for those in charge
Tamim’s message was not just about criticism. It was a call for action.
“I hope those in this position will think about it and work on it,” he said.
He believes that cricket in Bangladesh still has a chance to recover its lost appeal. But that will require an honest look at the sport’s current state, real reform, and greater involvement of those who understand the game from the inside.
For a player who has given so much to Bangladesh cricket, Tamim’s warning feels personal. The question is, will those running the sport finally listen?
