Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal regained consciousness and was speaking to family members after suffering a major heart attack during a domestic match, cricket officials told AFP on Tuesday.

The 36-year-old was leading Mohammedan Sporting Club in a match of the 50-over Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League when he was rushed to a nearby hospital after severe chest pain on Monday.

“He is now better. He talked to his family members and also walked briefly at the hospital,” club official Tariqul Islam said.

Mohammedan physiotherapist Enamul Haque said Tamim was in a stable condition and would likely be transferred to another medical facility soon.

“We had to go to hospital quickly to save his life, and luckily we did that,” Enamul told AFP.

Tamim was in critical condition when he was rushed to hospital, Razeeb Hasan, the medical director at the facility where Tamim received treatment, told reporters on Monday.

He also said Tamim had to undergo surgery to implant stents to clear an artery blockage.

News of Tamim’s health crisis saw an outpouring of support from the cricketing world.

“Please pray that my brother Tamim recovers quickly and returns to the game!” long-time teammate Shakib Al Hasan wrote in a social media post.

Tamim’s heart attack came the same day as Shakib’s 38th birthday, but the all-rounder said he was unable to enjoy the occasion because of the news. Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh likewise offered his “prayers and wishes”.

“You’ve faced tough opponents before and come out stronger, this will be no different. Wishing you a speedy recovery. Stay strong,” Yuvraj wrote on social media.

Tamim represented Bangladesh in 391 matches across formats between 2007 and 2023, and was their one-day captain.

He scored more than 15,000 runs and is the only Bangladeshi to record centuries in all three international formats.