Courtesy: Google
Former Bangladesh cricketer Tamim Iqbal has dismissed the conflict of interest claims in regards to sponsoring one team Gulshan Cricket Club (GCL) and captaining another team Mohammedan Sporting Club (MSC) in the upcoming edition of the Dhaka Premier League (DPL). After reports emerged about the 35-year-old taking over the newly promoted GCL in the DPL as a team executive, the questions were raised about conflict of interest, which he believes shouldn’t be the case.
Notably, in the opening match of DPL in the 2025 season, which is scheduled to happen on Monday, March 3, Gulshan Cricket Club, whose team executive is Tamim Iqbal, will be taking on Mohammedan Sporting Club under the same player’s captaincy. The matter was addressed by the left-handed batter in the pre-tournament press conference at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, where he was adamant about not doing anything wrong by owning one team and playing in another one.
I don't see any conflict of interest here because I don't own the team: Tamim Iqbal
As per the report from Cricbuzz, Tamim Iqbal was quoted as saying about the matter, “I am not the owner of Gulshan Cricket Club; there is a big difference. You [the media] have created this narrative that I own Gulshan. I have only said that I am with the team. What's wrong with leading one team and being associated with another? If I get out early against Gulshan, will you say I did it on purpose?”
After that, the former captain of Bangladesh stated that since he doesn’t own the GCL, there is no conflict of interest of any kind while captaining MSC. He remarked, “I don't see any conflict of interest here because I don't own the team. I have brought in sponsors for them, at most, and that's it. Personally, I don't feel there is an issue. Not everything should be seen in a critical light. If sponsors don't step forward, 15 to 20 players might not get a team.”
“Think about it from a different perspective. Instead of always focusing on the negatives, consider the positives. If I hadn't brought in sponsors and others didn't step up, players' payments would have been cut in half. I'm just giving an example, but if sponsors don't come forward, cricket suffers. So, think about the game and the players instead of always assuming the worst,” Tamim Iqbal further remarked.
