'Stop this nonsense': Shashi Tharoor calls for urgent ICC action over India-Pakistan T20 World Cup standoff

Congress MP and an avid cricket lover himself, Shashi Tharoor, has slammed the 'crisis situation' at the 2026 T20 World Cup following the Pakistan government’s announcement of boycotting the scheduled India game on February 15 in Colombo. On the day when India and Pakistan faced off for a spot in the Under-19 World Cup semifinals, Pakistan’s confirmation to play the 20-team tournament, but its refusal to do so against India, raised eyebrows, with the ICC warning the PCB of its repercussions.

Tharoor, known for speaking on cricket’s current affairs, shared his thoughts on the situation’s direness, adding that it is disgraceful that cricket has been politicised in this way and that the Mustafizur case (from where it all began) shouldn’t have happened in the first place.

Meanwhile, things took ugly turns after the BCCI directed IPL franchise KKR to release seamer Mustafizur Rahman over internal chaos and regular attacks on the minorities in Bangladesh, leading to widespread backlash from its cricket fans. The BCB retaliated, urging the ICC to move its scheduled matches out of India (to Sri Lanka), citing security concerns. Pakistan, on the other hand, sneaked into this conversation by throwing its weight behind BCB and threatening to boycott the tournament should the ICC deny BCB’s request.

Fast forward a couple of weeks, and the ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland, and Pakistan also agreed to participate in the first showpiece event of the year; however, not against India.

"It is pretty disgraceful that sport has been politicised in this way on both sides, frankly. I don't think that Mustafizur 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,” Tharoor said of the current situation involving India and Pakistan at the T20 WC.

Reflecting on how things have fallen out of control and the urge behind putting it all together, Tharoor said this situation must work as a wake-up call for all boards and parties concerned. He also put the ball in the ICC’s court, saying the apex body must call off this nonsense for good and warn everyone not to get away with such remarks again.

“This whole thing is spiralling out of control. 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 continued.