ODI World Cup 2023: Tamim Iqbal's brother removed as Bangladesh's operations manager on Shakib Al Hasan's request

Former cricketer Nafees Iqbal, who also happens to be the elder brother of star batter Tamim Iqbal, has been removed as Bangladesh's operational manager. The decision came at the behest of Shakib Al Hasan and follows the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) choice to omit an unfit Tamim from the ODI World Cup squad. The drama began to unfold when Nafees' signature graced the team sheet for the third ODI clash between Bangladesh and New Zealand.

However, what followed was nothing short of cricketing intrigue, as his name mysteriously vanished from the sheet while the game was still in progress. The change in team roles has set tongues wagging across the cricketing landscape in Bangladesh. Speculation suggests that a sharp disagreement between Nafees and the team's management triggered the sequence of events. Matters escalated when Nafees decided to pack his bags and head home during the series decider. 

The latest whispers indicate that Shakib was not inclined to have Nafees as the team manager for the impending cricketing sojourn in India. The Bangladeshi skipper subsequently conveyed his stance to the BCB team management, who eventually acceded to his request.

The initiation of the dawn of Nafees Iqbal 

The genesis of this cricketing saga can be traced back to a controversy that erupted on a fateful Monday night. Tamim, the talismanic opener of the Bangladesh cricket team, informed the BCB that he was not in optimal physical condition and could only participate in a limited number of matches in the forthcoming World Cup in India.

In light of the same, the team management decided to omit the 34-year-old from the World Cup squad. The decision also culminated in the removal of his elder brother Nafees from his managerial role within the team. Previously, Nafees had been part of the national side during the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, where rumours regarding his potential ousting from the role had first started circulating.