How a series of split-second decisions pulled Tamim Iqbal back from death's door

As Tamim's life hung in the balance, even the slightest misstep could have had tragic consequences

It was almost midnight. A close friend of Tamim Iqbal’s -- someone considered part of the family -- stepped out of the CCU at KPJ Specialized Hospital. Speaking to those waiting outside, he provided an uplifting update on the Bangladesh cricket icon. "Tamim had dinner, he’s talking, laughing, and even joked around with us a little. He realises that he’s made it through a major crisis."

"But the danger isn’t completely over yet," a doctor nearby quickly added.

Tamim remains under observation, and doctors could not say he was completely out of danger. Still, after the storm his family and friends endured throughout Monday, they were finally able to breathe a little easier at night.

Looking back on the day’s events sent chills down their spines, but everyone kept repeating the same thing -- it was only because so many people came together and acted quickly and decisively, that Tamim was pulled back from the edge.

Among those heroes were the doctors at KPJ Hospital, Mohammedan Sporting Club’s trainer, BKSP’s medical team, the ambulance driver, the match referee -- all of them showed extraordinary calm, skill, and sincerity in the face of crisis. That’s what made it possible for Tamim to return from the brink of death. His family couldn’t stop expressing their gratitude for these people.

Earlier that morning, after arriving at the hospital with chest pain, Tamim himself had been communicating with his family. He arranged a helicopter, made calls, and tried to handle the situation. But when he returned to the field and suddenly collapsed, that’s when real panic set in for his loved ones.

Updates from the field and later the hospital only deepened their fear.

The situation was that critical -- Tamim was literally caught between life and death. Those receiving constant updates were overwhelmed by the fear of the worst possible outcome.

While his family rushed from different corners of Dhaka to the hospital, those by Tamim’s side fought their own battle. Debabrata Pal, the referee of the Dhaka Premier League match Tamim had been playing at the BKSP, stepped up like a guardian -- handling all communication and making urgent, crucial decisions on the spot. The BKSP medical team did everything within their power.

Eventually, the decision was made to bring Tamim straight to KPJ Hospital instead of airlifting him to Dhaka. The ambulance driver drove like the wind, racing against time. At one critical point, his expert manoeuvring around a sharp bend saved several minutes -- minutes that could have made all the difference. Every second counted. The doctors and everyone present later praised the driver’s skill and presence of mind.

The most critical role in Tamim’s rescue was played by Mohammedan’s trainer, Yakub Chowdhury Dalim. He didn't hold back for a second -- performing CPR continuously, delivering relentless chest compressions and even punching Tamim’s chest to revive him. Later, Dalim shared on social media that after 250 to 300 chest compressions, Tamim’s lifeless body finally showed a flicker of response. Even when foam started coming out of Tamim’s mouth, Dalim was undeterred -- he kept going, giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation without pause.

Later, doctors at KPJ Hospital told Tamim’s family that if Dalim hadn’t acted with such precision and determination, Tamim might not have survived.

Having already been alerted to the emergency, the hospital’s medical team was waiting downstairs for the vehicle. Tamim was rushed inside immediately. What followed is now known to many.

The critical decision to insert a stent into Tamim’s heart was made over the phone by his elder brother and former international cricketer Nafees Iqbal. There was no time to consider alternatives or consult others — any delay could have been fatal. That swift decision saved precious time.

Cardiologist Dr Moniruzzaman Maruf and his team carried out the angiogram, angioplasty, and stenting with remarkable speed and skill. Later, a senior professor from the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases visited the hospital. After reviewing everything, he told Dr Moniruzzaman: "What you and your team have done — even calling it a miracle doesn’t do it justice."

From the moment Tamim lost consciousness to the completion of the stenting procedure, every decision was made with extraordinary urgency. A delay of even a few minutes at any stage could have spelt disaster. Every single person involved executed their task flawlessly -- even the slightest misstep could have had tragic consequences.

By midnight, Tamim’s family kept repeating one thing -- it was the precise, timely actions of everyone involved that allowed Tamim to sit up, talk, and even laugh by nightfall.

Tamim’s mother, his wife, elder brother Nafees and Nafees’s wife — all of them were in Dhaka. They had planned to travel to Chattogram in two days for Eid. But Tamim’s sudden illness almost turned their world upside down. Memories of their father, Iqbal Khan, who died of a heart attack in 2000, only heightened their fear. Back then, there hadn’t been enough time to save him — medical facilities in Chattogram were limited, and overall awareness was lacking. That loss haunted them now.

Though the youngest in the family, Tamim has always been the one who holds everyone together — the family’s quiet leader. The entire day felt like a living nightmare — not just for his family, but for the entire cricketing world and the nation.

Now, there is finally a sense of relief as Tamim prepares to take his first steps on the road to a full recovery.