Tamim Iqbal Leads Fortune Barishal to Back-to-Back BPL Titles, Reflects on His Career and Future

Under the leadership of Tamim Iqbal, Fortune Barishal has clinched the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) title for the second consecutive year. Winning a championship is always a special achievement, but Tamim Iqbal shared that this year's BPL victory brought him even more joy compared to previous ones.

Speaking at a press conference after defeating Chittagong Kings to secure the title, Tamim Iqbal said:

"I feel like last year's journey was epic. It was close to my heart. Halfway through the tournament, we were just one match away from being eliminated. Meyers' contribution was fantastic, especially today. Winning that first trophy for Barishal was very special. This time, we dominated. We dominated the entire tournament, except for two matches. Today, even against Khulna, we did a great chase. I’d pick the first one as the better one. For me, the previous one was also excellent. Today’s innings was good, and such innings give me confidence that there's still something left in me."

Tamim also praised Fortune Barishal's professionalism, highlighting the team's impressive performance in the BPL, and said:

"This is huge for Barishal. They had played a few finals over the past 4-5-6 years, but they never performed like this. Many of Barishal's supporters are in Dhaka, especially in Mirpur. Winning the trophy for them was fantastic. The franchise and the owners should be respected by the BCB. If people like them stay involved with cricket, Bangladesh cricket will move forward."

Reflecting on his 17-year international career, which has now concluded, Tamim received a farewell ceremony from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). Expressing his gratitude, Tamim said:

"Of course, I have to thank the BCB. There is always a love-hate relationship between players and the BCB, but for 17 years, they’ve taken care of me. I thank all the past presidents who made it possible for me to play for 17 years, like a guardian. I’m grateful. Whether I played internationally or not, I’m happy with what I achieved on the field. It's a great farewell."

Looking ahead to the next season of BPL, Tamim suggested that it would be beneficial to have a retention option for six players, as it would help maintain a strong fan base. He said:

"We’ve worked hard to build a fan base, and everyone wanted this from the first BPL. If you look at the IPL, the core players stay. The retention option should be given. If you don’t retain anyone, all the effort you’ve put in will go to waste. There should at least be an option to retain 4-6 players. This way, the fan base will grow even more. I hope this rule is kept going forward. Retaining at least 6 players will help the fan base grow even further."