EXCLUSIVE: Shashi Tharoor Applauds Team India's Historic ICC T20 World Cup Victory

You have seen him putting the ruling government in a tight spot quite often. Now sample his comments on India's World Cup victory. In an exclusive conversation with OneIndia, senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, expressed immense joy and pride over Team India's victory in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. India clinched the title by defeating South Africa in a thrilling final, winning by 7 runs in the match held at Kensington Oval, Barbados, on June 29, 2024.

Tharoor, while congratulating Rohit Sharma and his team, lauded their outstanding performance. He reminisced about watching parts of the match while engaging in a 'Thank You' program in his constituency. Although he missed most of the game, he managed to catch the exciting final overs, which he described as indescribable.

Highlighting the nail-biting moments, Tharoor mentioned how Axar Patel's over conceding 24 runs almost seemed to tilt the match in South Africa's favor. However, Jasprit Bumrah's tight bowling, Hardik Pandya's last over, and Suryakumar Yadav's crucial catch turned the tide back in India's favour.

He refrained from comparing this victory to India's 2007 win against Pakistan, acknowledging South Africa's formidable performance.

Tharoor defended South Africa against the 'chokers' label, emphasising their strong chance of winning until India's superior play in the crucial overs. He credited the Indian Premier League for keeping the players in top form, which contributed to their World Cup success.

Discussing the potential retirements of key players, Tharoor suggested that Rohit Sharma might soon step down from ODIs to focus on Test cricket, while Jadeja, despite a mediocre T20 career, remains an outstanding Test player. Tharoor praised Virat Kohli's anchoring role, highlighting his acceleration at critical moments that set up India's winning total.

Tharoor also commended Bumrah's exceptional 18th over and Hardik Pandya's decisive contributions. He sees Bumrah as a potential next T20 captain but also considers Hardik and Sanju Samson as strong candidates.

Advocating for continuity in leadership, Tharoor expressed his desire for Rahul Dravid to continue as the Indian coach, appreciating Gautam Gambhir's potential contributions as well.
Despite his busy schedule, Tharoor hopes to find more time to indulge in his passion for cricket and celebrate such memorable victories with fervour.