Shashi Tharoor bumped into Shoaib Akhtar at Dubai airport. Then this happened

Shashi Tharoor was returning to New Delhi from England when he met Shoaib Akhtar at Dubai airport.

Published on: Jun 27, 2023, 06:39:18 IST

By HT News Desk

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Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor bumped into former Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar at Dubai airport and what followed was a conversation about the two countries and cricket. Tharoor heaped praise on the 47-year-old fast bowler, calling him a “smart and engaging man” with plenty of fans in India.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar. (Twitter / @ShashiTharoor)

He also revealed that many Indians who came to greet him at the airport wanted selfies with the Pakistani cricketer too.

“On my way back to Delhi via Dubai, was pleasantly surprised when @shoaib100mph said hello. What a smart & engaging young man the tearaway fast bowler is!” Tharoor tweeted.

“He has plenty of fans on our side of the border: all the Indians who came up to greet me wanted selfies with him too. Had a good conversation about (inevitably) India, Pakistan & cricket,” he added.

Shoaib Akhtar replied: “What a pleasure running into you Shashi ji.”

Tharoor was returning to New Delhi after attending two events at Bradford Literature Festival. Expressing delight to be a part of the literature festival, Tharoor said the “atmosphere of camaraderie and genuine respect for ideas and writers makes it a real pleasure — & the strong subcontinental ethos is the tadka!”

At the festival, Tharoor held a discussion on her sister Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan’s book on their mother, 'Good Innings'.

“Second, a strong exploration of Dr #Ambedkar’s life & legacy with American academic Saeed Khan, whose gentle probing made an hour whizz by,” Tharoor said in a tweet.

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HT News Desk
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