Mustafiz should not have been dropped from IPL: Shashi Tharoor

Indian Congress leader and Lok Sabha member Shashi Tharoor has stated that India bears some responsibility for the ongoing instability surrounding the T20 World Cup. He called the decision to drop Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL "disgraceful" and argued that politics should not be mixed with sport.

Tharoor said that dropping Mustafizur was an "unfortunate" decision whose effects are now being felt in world cricket. He said he did not believe Mustafizur Rahman should have been dropped from his contract to play for Kolkata Knight Riders.

The crisis began when Mustafizur, who was sold for a high price at the IPL auction, was dropped by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). In response, the Bangladesh team refused to travel to India for the World Cup and demanded a change of venue. When the International Cricket Council (ICC) did not accept the demand and included Scotland instead, the situation grew more complex. In protest, Pakistan announced it would boycott its match against India.

Criticising India's role, Tharoor said mixing politics with sport on both sides was highly deplorable and showed clear political interference. He added that while Bangladesh's reaction was somewhat exaggerated, it reflected reality. He noted Pakistan was now trying to show support for Bangladesh, escalating the situation.

Tharoor believes cricket could be the greatest medium to bridge this division, stating it should be a powerful force for uniting people, not creating problems. He urged the ICC to take it as a warning and act as a platform for urgent dialogue, stating that this failure must end and the situation cannot continue like this forever.