Tharoor pleads in favour of India-Pak match in ensuing WC

Amid the call for cancellation of the India-Pakistan match in the 2019 Cricket World Cup, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday stirred a row, saying that forfeiting the match against Pakistan would be worse than surrender and termed it as ‘a defeat without a fight’.

Tharoor, the MP from Thiruvananthapuram, reminded that the two countries played cricket even at the height of the Kargil war in 1999.

In a post on social media,   Tharoor said that at the height of the 1999 Kargil War, India played Pakistan in the cricket World Cup, and won.’

‘Reminder: at the height of the 1999 Kargil War, India played Pakistan in the cricket World Cup, & won. To forfeit the match this year would not just cost two points: it would be worse than surrender, since it would be defeat without a fight,’Tharoor said in a tweet.

The remarks by the Congress leader come amid an increasing call for cancellation of the India-Pakistan match in the 2019 Cricket World Cup. There is even a call seeking a ban on Pakistan at the upcoming World Cup.