'Very Petty & Shameful': Shashi Tharoor On Row Over KKR Selecting Bangladeshi Player In IPL

Shashi Tharoor said cricket should not be dragged into political disputes, defending KKR’s signing of Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman in the IPL 2026 auction. He stressed that Rahman is a cricketer with no connection to attacks on minorities and that sporting decisions must remain separate from politics. Actor Shah Rukh Khan faced sharp criticism from Hindu preachers and BJP leaders, who labeled him a “traitor” over the Rs 9.20 crore purchase amid Bangladesh’s anti-India stance. BJP leader Sangeet Som warned that Rahman may face restrictions upon entering India. Tharoor added that isolating neighbours does no good, and India must continue engaging with Bangladesh through sports.