Pakistan has now reversed its earlier decision to skip the T20 World Cup match against India, with the government ordering Salman Ali Agha’s team to play the match originally scheduled for February 15. Immediately after the announcement, a video went viral on the internet claiming that the move was praised by Congress MP and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor.
What’s in Shashi Tharoor’s AI-generated video?
The video quickly went viral on social media and caught the attention of both cricket fans and political commentators. The AI-generated video purportedly showed Tharoor saying, “I believe Pakistan is playing great.” I don’t know what they’re going to do on the field. Even so, their diplomatic actions are admirable. The Indian cricket board was in complete control. This is a lesson in how good diplomacy can force a weak country into a Goliath-like position. Pakistan has achieved that and I would like to congratulate it as well. That’s unthinkable.” The article went viral with the caption Tharoor praising Pakistan for their bold stance in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Shashi Tharoor’s reaction
In response to the video going viral, Tharoor explained that it is completely fake and was created by artificial intelligence.
AI-generated “fake news” is not very good. It’s not my language or my voice. https://t.co/J48OMoasyR
— Shachi Tharoor (@ShachiTharoor) February 12, 2026
AI created fake news, and it wasn’t very good. Not my words or my voice, he answered and disproved that claim. In fact, members of Congress had condemned Pakistan’s initial move to boycott the match as a disgrace and underlined the growing politicization of cricket. He emphasized the fact that sport acts as a bridge rather than a divider between nations. Tharoor made the remarks in the context of the Pakistan side’s earlier announcement regarding X that the team would not play against India, which had caused an uproar in cricketing and political circles.
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