DHAKA: Ace Bangladesh batsman Tamim Iqbal has left London for Dhaka, discontinuing playing in NatWest T20 Blast league, and rejected the earlier media reports claiming an attempted attack on him along with his wife in the UK.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday (July 12), Tamim said that he halted the county tour under his club ‘Essex Eagles’ due to ‘personal problems’ this time. 

“I want all my fans and well wishers to know that I cut short my season with Essex to come back home early for personal reasons.”

“Some media reported that we were the target of attempted hate crime. This is really not true. England is one my of favorite places to play cricket and Essex have been entirely gracious even though I had to leave early”, stated the post.  

Meanwhile, Essex County Cricket Club posted an update at their official website saying that Tamim has quit the club for ‘personal reasons’.

“Overseas player, Tamim Iqbal, has left the Club with immediate effect due to personal reasons. We wish him all the best and it would be appreciated if Tamim’s privacy is respected during this time”, Essex posted an update. 

Earlier, several media outlets published reports saying that, on Monday night (July 10), miscreants attempted an attack upon Tamim and his wife Ayesha Siddiqa when the couple was on way to their residence in London after dining at a restaurant. 

Tamim and Ayesha, however, ran away immediately and escaped from the possible attack. 

It was also said that a group of miscreants chased Tamim and wife and attempted to hurl acid towards them on that night.

However, the incident compelled Tamim to shorten his county stint this time, with playing only one match instead of the scheduled 8-9, claimed the reports.   

Preferring anonymity, an expatriate in Bangladeshi community in London said that the incident of harassing people is rising recently in London.

He was previously scheduled to play some eight matches on side of Essex. But now the dashing left-arm opener of Bangladesh quit the domestic T20 competition of England run by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), after playing only one match this time. 
Earlier, Tamim-Ayesha along with son Arham reached London on July 8.

They are expected to reach here by Wednesday (July 12) after a stopover in Sylhet.

However, in 2011, Tamim stepped into his county career with Nottinghamshire Outlaws in England.

BDST: 1556 HRS, JUL 12, 2017
SI/SMS