Former Bangladesh cricket team skipper Tamim Iqbal suffered chest pain on Monday (Mar 24) during a local match in the country was rushed to hospital immediately. The batter was playing Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League when he suffered the pain while fielding.

Advertisment

Iqbal was playing for Mohammedan Sporting Club against Shinepukur Cricket Club a the BKSP-3 ground in Savar city in the 50-over match. A helicopter was flown in to carry Tamim out but was later shifted to nearby Fazilatunnesa Hospital, reported ESPNCricinfo quoting match referee Debabrata Paul.

Tamim took his own car to the hospital and was advised to visit another hospital via air ambulance. The airlift, however, couldn't happen because of the health situation and the batter returned to Fazilatunnesa Hospital. 

He underwent tests and a blockage was discovered in his heart for which he underwent an emergency agioplasty.

Advertisment

"He was in good spirits during the toss," Montu Dutta, the BKSP chief cricket coach, told reporters in the afternoon. "When he felt sick, he left the field and took his own car to the hospital. The doctors there did not want to let him leave at the time, but Tamim left anyway and was arranging an air ambulance himself. For now, he is out of immediate danger and hope all Bangladesh cricket fans pray for him."

The doctors who treated the batter at the hospital also released a medical bulletin and said: "He returned to us in a critical condition. We can call it a heart attack, and we subsequently did an angiogram and angioplasty to remove the blockage. The medical procedure has gone smoothly. He is currently under observation. The swift coordination between the medical staff at BKSP and the hospital ensured Tamim was treated quickly."

Following the incident, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) cancelled a board meeting scheduld today. Tamim is known as one the best batters ever produced by Bangladesh and had recently announced his retirement in Janaury earlier this year.