In the 2nd ODI of the New Zealand series, Tamim stylishly began his batting. However, leg spinner Sodhi managed to take a catch behind the wicket while Tamim attempted a sweep. Nonetheless, as long as he was on the field, he remained in his rhythm.
Tamim opened the scoring with a flick on the leg side and secured the first boundary off Jamison through the outside edge. The four that Boult then struck through square leg was a trademark shot. Tamim subsequently flicked Jamison to fine leg, picking up two more fours. It seemed like Tamim had found his rhythm, but after a stunning cover drive to Sodhi, it all went awry.
He also expressed regret for not being able to build a more substantial innings, saying, “You know I’m coming back from an injury. That’s why it was important to spend time at the crease. Fielding is one thing, but spending time batting reveals how my body is reacting. As I mentioned earlier, there’s still some inertia, and there will be. However, we have to find a way to overcome it.”
“It was crucial for me to spend time on the pitch, whether batting or bowling. Since it’s an international match, I have to perform at my best. That’s what I aimed for. It’s not a matter of just participating; in international matches, I need to perform against a strong bowling attack, which I attempted.”
“But I gained confidence from my time at the crease and started to feel a bit better. The nervousness will diminish somewhat when I play the next match. However, as I mentioned, we’re discussing with the medical team how my body will respond. After such a long absence, any batsman would feel some nervousness. I’m no exception,” Tamim added.
