Bangladesh cricketer Tamim thanks fans after heart attack

Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal has thanked fans for their support as he recovers from a serious heart attack he suffered during a match earlier this week.

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 complaining of severe chest pain on Monday.

He has since been relocated to a larger medical facility in the capital where he remains under observation.

"It's the heartbeat that keeps us alive, but we often forget that this beat can stop at any moment, without any warning," Tamim wrote on social media on Tuesday.

"I offer my heartfelt gratitude and love to all of you. Please keep me and my family in your prayers. Without your love, I am nothing."

Elder brother and former Bangladeshi international Nafees Iqbal was by Tamim's bedside along with other family members.

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.

Tamim scored more than 15 000 runs for Bangladesh in a career spanning 15 years and remains the only Bangladeshi to score hundreds in all formats of international cricket.