Shashi Tharoor’s remarks came after Pakistan announced it would skip its February 15 clash against India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. (Image credit: Agencies)
NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has slammed the growing politicisation of cricket, describing Pakistan’s decision to boycott its ICC T20 World Cup 2026 group-stage match against India as “disgraceful” and urging all stakeholders to engage in urgent dialogue to resolve the escalating row.Reacting to the controversy, Tharoor said sport should unite people rather than deepen divisions. He also weighed in on Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s Indian Premier League situation, stating that the left-arm seamer should never have been denied his Kolkata Knight Riders contract and termed Bangladesh’s response an overreaction. According to Tharoor, Pakistan’s move appears to be driven by solidarity with Bangladesh, with the overall situation now spiralling beyond control.
“It is pretty disgraceful that sport has been politicised in this way on both sides, frankly. I don’t think that Mustafizur (Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman) should have been denied his contract to play in Kolkata. It was most unfortunate. Intrusion of politics, I think the Bangladeshi reaction was an overreaction but it is also a reflection of the same and Pakistan is trying to show its solidarity with Bangladesh. This whole thing is spiralling out of control,” Tharoor told reporters.Calling for immediate intervention, Tharoor stressed the need for cricket to serve as common ground and appealed for emergency talks, suggesting the ICC could facilitate discussions.“I think we need to really need to come to an understanding that sports, especially a sport like Cricket which means so much to all the people, should be a means of bringing us together at least on the playing field, rather than allowing this to go on like this. I honestly think this is now a wake up call for all concerned to contact each other on an emergency basis, the ICC could be the platform for it – just say, let’s call off this nonsense...You can’t go on like this forever,” Tharoor added.Tharoor’s remarks came after Pakistan announced it would skip its February 15 clash against India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The Pakistan government confirmed the decision in a post on X, stating that the team “shall not take the field” against India.In a subsequent post, it said, “The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026; however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India.”No reason was provided for the move. Meanwhile, India enter the tournament in strong form after sealing a 4-1 T20I series victory over New Zealand.The ICC later cautioned against “selective participation,” saying it contradicts the spirit of a global sporting event. In a statement, the governing body said it had noted Pakistan’s position and was awaiting official communication from the PCB.“While the ICC awaits official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), this position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms per the event schedule,” the ICC release said.Reiterating its commitment to fairness and integrity, the ICC added that such decisions are not in the best interests of the game or fans worldwide.“While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan. The ICC hopes that the PCB will consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country as this is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, which it is itself a member and beneficiary of,” the release said.“It expects the PCB to explore a mutually acceptable resolution, which protects the interests of all stakeholders,” the release said further.India hold a dominant 7-1 record over Pakistan in ICC T20 World Cups. The tournament begins on February 7, with defending champions India placed in Group A alongside Namibia, the Netherlands, the USA and Pakistan. India open their campaign against the USA on February 7 before facing their arch-rivals on February 12.
