"Forfeiting match worse than surrender": Shashi Tharoor on Indo-Pak WC19 face-off - WATCH VIDEO

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, in a video message said that India and Pakistan played the World Cup even at the height of Kargil war in 1999. To forfeit the match this year would be worse than surrender since it would be defeat without a fight

The subject of playing Pakistan in the ICC World Cup is likely to top the agenda when the Supreme Court appointed BCCI Committee of Administrators (CoA) meets on Friday as calls for boycotting the neighbour in the marquee tournament in the United Kingdom have come from all quarters.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, in a video message posted by ANI on Friday, said that India and Pakistan played the World Cup even at the height of Kargil war in 1999, to forfeit the match this year would be worse than surrender since it would be defeat without a fight.

“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 statement on Twitter.

#WATCH Shashi Tharoor says, "In '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 a surrender, since it would be defeat without a fight." pic.twitter.com/yRIExUVJ4c

— ANI (@ANI) February 22, 2019

Many former and present cricketers, including Sunil Gavaskar, Sourav Ganguly, Chetan Chauhan and Harbhajan Singh have unequivocally denounced the Pakistan-backed Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF troopers on February 14 but said that pulling out of the clash against the green brigade will only result in India losing out vital points.

Earlier, Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said India have so far defeated Pakistan every time in a World Cup, so India stand to lose by boycotting Pakistan in the upcoming World Cup. The 69-year-old believes that India can continue to "hurt them" by shunning bilateral ties.

(With IANS inputs)