Tamim Iqbal’s Health Crisis During DPL Match: Detailed Account by Match Referee

During today’s Dhaka Premier League (DPL) match at BKSP, Tamim Iqbal, the captain of Mohammedan Sporting Club, suddenly fell ill right after the toss. He had been feeling chest pain, and it was later revealed that he had suffered two heart attacks. Following his diagnosis of two heart blockages, Tamim is currently under intensive care at the hospital.

Match referee Debabrata Pal provided a detailed account of what transpired during the incident. He said, “We did the toss together in the morning, along with both captains. After the toss, we had a brief chat with Tamim. After a few minutes, he went to the dressing room, and I went to my room. Suddenly, I received a call from Mohammedan's physiotherapist, Enam, informing me that Tamim was feeling pain. They were taking him to the hospital. There was already an ambulance on the field, and Tamim’s vehicle was ready, so they immediately left.”

He continued, “I was in my room, speaking with Tamim’s doctor to get updates. The doctors at BKSP, along with Mohammedan’s trainer Dalim, did an outstanding job in managing the situation. Without seeing it, you wouldn’t understand the gravity of the situation. At that point, Tamim didn’t have any family members around, but the team ensured that he was quickly brought to the hospital. They did an ECG and found some irregularities in another report. It wasn’t immediately clear what was happening, but Tamim said he was feeling better. At that point, he had already contacted the hospital to arrange for a helicopter to take him.”

Debabrata Pal then explained the critical moment when Tamim’s pulse could no longer be detected: “When I went to check on Tamim, he was unresponsive. He was frothing from his mouth, and the doctor said his pulse couldn’t be detected. His condition was very serious. At that moment, Dalim was doing chest compressions. It was such a dire situation that I asked the doctor if we should transfer him to Dhaka or take him back to the hospital. The doctor said his condition was bad.”

The match referee further described the situation: “I was by Tamim’s feet, calling out to him, but there was no response. The doctor said we shouldn’t transport him yet. Eventually, the decision was made to take him to the hospital, and we moved him to the car. Within four to five minutes, we reached the hospital, and by then, Tamim showed some response.”

The situation was critical, but thanks to the quick response from his teammates and medical staff, Tamim was stabilized and transferred to the hospital. Doctors later confirmed that Tamim had suffered two heart attacks, and he underwent surgery to have stents placed in his heart. He is now under close observation in the hospital’s Cardiac Care Unit (CCU).

This harrowing episode highlights the rapid actions of both the medical staff and his teammates, and the cricket community continues to wish for Tamim’s full recovery.