New Delhi, July 7 : Congress MP Shashi Tharoor sparked the BJP's ire with his recent X post, criticising the BCCI for its "arrogance" in sending a squad without top players for the ongoing T20I series in Zimbabwe.

Tharoor's remarks followed India's first defeat to Zimbabwe in the series opener, though India secured a strong victory in the second T20I.

This provided the BJP with an opportunity to launch a vigorous counterattack against Tharoor and the Congress.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla released a video message on X on Sunday, in which he asked: "Will Shashi Tharoor & Congress apologise to Team India? One day after Congress, Shashi Tharoor & their ecosystem, in their hatred for Modi & BJP, subjected the Indian Cricket Team to their hatred & negativity, our boys strike back- register a huge win against Zimbabwe... Question remains why was Congress celebrating India's defeat yesterday? Why do they keep undermining Bharat's Sena, Sanstha & even Sports only because they hate Modi? Congress is anti Bharat."

He said that due to their anti-Modi fixation, the Congress celebrated India's loss in the first match. He condemned Tharoor's X post, criticising the Congress for questioning the nation's achievements out of their dislike for PM Modi.

"Now that the same team has handed Zimbabwe a significant defeat, what will Tharoor and Congress say?" Poonawalla asked.

"It's the same Congress and its allies who wished for our team's defeat in the final match against South Africa. They doubt India's army during surgical strikes, question our economy's rise to fifth position, spread vaccine hesitancy, and challenge the achievements of scientists unveiling the lunar South Pole through Chandrayaan-3. Their opposition to Modi has turned into opposition against India. Shashi Tharoor owes an apology to India and Team India," he asserted.

Earlier Tharoor had shared the message on X: "So even while the echoes of the wild celebrations at Mumbai for India's T20WorldCup win have not died down, we have been beaten by minnows Zimbabwe today in Harare. It's just what BCCI deserved for taking things for granted. Whether on June 4 or on July 6, arrogance has been brought down a notch. Well played, Zimbabwe!"

/IANS