Tamim Iqbal’s Medical Emergency Rocks Cricket Community
The cricketing world stopped in its tracks when Tamim Iqbal, Bangladesh’s most accomplished batsman, collapsed with chest pain during a Dhaka Premier League match on March 24, 2025. He was fielding for Mohammedan Sporting Club against Shinepukur Cricket Club out in Savar—nothing unusual, just another game in a packed career—when something went seriously wrong.
Tamim, now 36, is more than just a player; he’s a national figure, a man with over 15,000 international runs and the only Bangladeshi to notch up centuries in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. Seeing him struggle for breath under the afternoon sun sent a jolt through his teammates and fans. As soon as Tamim signaled distress, he was hustled off the field.
Medical staff rushed him straight to KPJ Specialised Hospital and Nursing Home. That alone showed how dire his condition had become. Plans for an air ambulance were dashed because time was running out and Tamim’s health was slipping. Hospital staff found his arrival status as nothing short of ‘critical.’ Doctors wasted no time, moving ahead with an emergency angioplasty when scans revealed a dangerous blockage. They fitted stents to open up his arteries—a procedure that’s literally lifesaving in those crisis moments.
Even after surgery, the tension hung thick. Tamim was unconscious right after, and the waiting room saw faces pale and anxious. But slowly, he picked up. The first glimmers of hope appeared as Tamim woke up, managed to talk a little, and even got to his feet for a short walk around his room. His elder brother, Nafees Iqbal, himself a former national player, stayed beside him, lending support and sharing constant updates with worried family and friends.
Fast Intervention, Prayers, and a Relieved Cricketing Nation
Hospital authorities said outright: the speed at which Tamim received medical attention made all the difference. One doctor mentioned he had left the hospital once before but was forced to return as his pain intensified and things spiraled. Without those urgent moves—straight to intervention, no waiting around—Bangladesh could have lost one of its cricket giants long before his time.
Tamim isn’t just a record-holder for Tamim Iqbal; his impact runs deeper. He’s the first and only Bangladeshi to score centuries in every international format, earned the captaincy, and has been the backbone of countless matches. News of his hospitalization climbed the trending lists in minutes. Fans gathered outside the hospital, while his club, Mohammedan Sporting, updated supporters by the hour, thanking everyone for their kind words and prayers.
Even as he remains in a larger Dhaka hospital for further observation, relief has started spreading in the cricket community. Tamim’s club confirmed tangible improvement, and his family, though shaken, sounded hopeful. The whole episode is a wakeup call—not just about the health risks athletes can unexpectedly face, but about how readiness and fast action save lives.
For now, Bangladesh waits and watches, hoping to see the legendary opener make a full recovery. The game may go on, but it won’t quite be the same until Tamim Iqbal’s safe return.