Shashi Tharoor warns BCCI against mixing politics with cricket

Indian Member of Parliament (MP) Shashi Tharoor has strongly criticised the Board of Control for Cricket in India over removal of Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from Kolkata Knight Riders squad, calling it an example of unnecessary political interference in sports.

Reacting after KKR officially released Mustafizur, Tharoor said the decision reflected a troubling trend of dragging politics into cricket. In a post on social media, he questioned whether the same action would have been taken had the Bangladeshi cricketer belonged to a different religious background, and asked who was ultimately being punished by such moves.

Tharoor suggested that targeting an individual athlete raised broader concerns about whether the action was directed at a country, a person or a community, and warned that politicising sports in this manner could have damaging consequences.

Indian media reports said pressure had been building on KKR and its owner Shah Rukh Khan from politicians and religious leaders linked to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), following the franchise’s decision to buy Mustafizur for INR 9.20 crore at the IPL mini auction.

Earlier, speaking to Indian news agency ANI, Tharoor reiterated that cricket should remain separate from political and religious disputes. 

He argued that the sport should not be made to carry the burden of tensions arising from incidents involving minorities in Bangladesh, stressing the need to keep certain spheres insulated from political conflicts.

He also emphasised that Mustafizur, as a professional cricketer, bears no responsibility for political developments or communal issues. 

Tharoor noted that the Bangladeshi pacer has not been accused of hate speech or of supporting violence, and said linking him to such matters was unfair.

Tharoor further warned against isolating neighbouring countries through sporting decisions, arguing that cutting off sporting ties would serve no constructive purpose. 

He said India, given its geographic and regional realities, could not isolate Bangladesh and should continue to engage through sports rather than allow politics to dictate cricketing choices.