Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has described the BCCI's order for IPL franchise KKR to release Bangladeshi player Mustafizur Rahman as an 'extremely unfortunate and unwise' decision. The move comes amid rising tensions between India and Bangladesh. Tharoor emphasized that sports should remain separate from politics.
Amid escalating tensions between India and Bangladesh over violence against Hindus in the neighboring country, IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders released Bangladeshi left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman. Rahman had been picked for ₹9.20 crore during the auction in Abu Dhabi last month. His inclusion in the KKR squad drew backlash from various sections, ultimately forcing the franchise to let him go.
In an interview with ANI, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor called the BCCI's directive an 'extremely unfortunate and unwise decision.' He stressed that sports should be kept apart from politics and not bear the burden of diplomatic issues. 'The fact of the matter is that there are many other ways in which we are dealing with Bangladesh, as we have to,' Tharoor said, noting recent engagements including a visit by India's foreign minister.
On the atrocities against minorities, he mentioned that India is pressing Bangladesh's interim government to restore law and order and act against unlawful groups. 'At such a delicate moment, this seems to me to have been an extremely unfortunate and unwise decision because what it implies is that we are politicising even such a simple aspect as a private cricket game,' Tharoor added. He expressed concern over social media outrage influencing policy, stating that sports can help diffuse tensions rather than exacerbate them.
Following Rahman's release, the Bangladesh Cricket Board held an emergency meeting on Saturday night and decided the next day not to send its national team to India for the T20 World Cup starting February 7, citing security concerns and government directives. Tharoor reiterated, 'The game must go on.'
