What Tamim said in his retirement announcement

The match of Wednesday against Afghanistan was indeed the last match of my career. I bid farewell to international cricket at this very moment. This is not a sudden decision. I had been mulling over it for quite some time. I have also talked to my family about this.

I have always said I played cricket to fulfill my father’s dreams. I don’t know how successful I have been in making him proud in this 16-year cricket career of mine. But, I have tried my best.

I want to thank a few more people. My youngest uncle, Akbar Ali Khan, who has passed away. I played in a cricket tournament for the first time, inspired by him. There is a coach named Tapan Da at Chattogram MA Aziz Stadium and I am indebted to him.

I thank every single cricketer I ever played with since under-13 level and then under-15, under-16, under-19, premier league, national league and the national team. I thank all the captains of Bangladesh team.   

I have nothing much to say actually. I just have one thing to say and that’s I have tried my best to play well. I really tried my best. I don’t know how much of a good player I was or whether I was a good player at all. But I have tried my best. Whenever I took to the field, I gave my hundred per cent.

I do want to say a lot of things, but you see I can barely even talk. I hope you will try to understand the situation. This is not quite an ideal setting to talk. Especially after playing for so many years, it is not a very easy task to say goodbye to this game. So, I just hope you guys will try to understand me.

I am really sorry to call you people here on such a short notice. Still you came, thank you for that. I want to make a request to you. When players come to play cricket in the coming days, you can write both good and bad things about them. What will you write that’s up to you, but keep it restricted to cricket only. Please don’t go beyond cricket. If they play well, you will praise them and if they don’t play so well, you will write accordingly or criticise them. That’s fine. I believe, we all know that we cross the boundaries sometimes.

It’s a crucial year for cricket. There’s World Cup ahead. So, I’ll hope you guys will consider yourself a part of Bangladesh team and will be there for the team. Keep on supporting the team, it’s very important.

Let me repeat one thing, I have tried my best. I had started playing cricket to fulfill my late father’s dreams. I am not sure how much I was able to do that. I’m sorry if I have left anyone's name out while saying thanks. But I want to say that I thank everyone from the heart, everyone who helped me grow as a cricketer as well as a human being.

How can I forget my mother! My brothers, my wife and both my children—had to suffer a lot on this journey of mine. At the same time they have had many occasions to celebrate as well. I thank them all.

I will make another request, let this issue end right here.  There’s no need to stretch this any further. Why, what, what more could have happened and why—just all these.

I always say that the team is way bigger than just a person. Let us all focus on the team. There are two more matches left in the series. I always believe we should win this series. And, there are two major tournaments after this.

I have nothing more to say. I hope to meet you guys somewhere some day.