Rajeev Shukla, veteran Congress leader, former Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and current Chairman of the IPL Governing Council, delivered a sharp and point-by-point rebuttal on 12 February 2026 to a wave of allegations broadcast by several Pakistani television channels and amplified across social media. The controversy erupted after prominent Pakistani analysts and former players accused Shukla of personally orchestrating efforts to “isolate Pakistan cricket”