'Call off this nonsense' - Shashi Tharoor after Pakistan boycott T20 World Cup match against India

Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor has criticised the growing politicisation of cricket following Pakistan’s decision to boycott its ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 group-stage match against India, calling the episode “pretty disgraceful”. Tharoor has further urged all the stakeholders to engage in dialogue to prevent the situation from escalating further.

Tharoor said the controversy surrounding the India versus Pakistan fixture had spiralled beyond sport, with political considerations overshadowing cricketing values. He also referenced the Mustafizur Rahman episode, stating that the Bangladeshi pacer should not have been denied his Indian Premier League contract in the first place, and described Bangladesh’s subsequent reaction as excessive.

“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 as per Economic Times.

Highlighting cricket’s role as a unifying force, Tharoor stressed the need for immediate engagement between concerned parties and suggested the ICC serve as a platform for resolution.

“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.

The remarks came after the Men in Green announced that they would not take the field for its scheduled group-stage clash against India on February 15 in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. In a post on X, the Government of Pakistan said the national team had been granted permission to participate in the tournament but would abstain from the match against India.

In response, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said that “selective participation” goes against the fundamental principles of a global sporting event and emphasised the need for fairness, integrity and equal competition for all qualified teams. The ICC added that it expects the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to explore a mutually acceptable solution that safeguards the interests of all stakeholders.

The ICC further stated that while it respects the role of governments in matters of national policy, the decision is not in the best interest of the global game or its fans. It warned that selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of ICC tournaments and could have long-term consequences for the global cricket ecosystem.