As India prepares to face Pakistan in the much-anticipated Asia Cup 2025 clash, a fresh political storm has erupted over the decision to play the match amid ongoing tensions and recent tragedies. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has sharply criticised the government’s stand, accusing it of mixing “politics and business with patriotism”.
Addressing the media on Saturday, Thackeray questioned the moral ground of participating in the high-profile match. “Our Prime Minister said blood and water cannot flow together, then how can blood and cricket flow together? How can war and cricket be at the same time?” he asked.
Thackeray alleged that the match is being played purely for financial gain.
“They have done business in patriotism. The business of patriotism is only for money. They are going to play the match tomorrow also because they want all the money they will get from that match,” he added.
In a symbolic gesture of protest, Thackeray announced that Shiv Sena (UBT) women workers would take to the streets across Maharashtra, sending sindoor (vermilion) from households to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a mark of dissent.
On the other side of the political aisle, BJP MP and former Sports Minister Anurag Thakur defended India’s participation, citing international obligations.
“When multinational tournaments are organised by the ACC or ICC, it becomes a compulsion, a necessity for nations to participate. If they don’t do that, they will be eliminated from the tournament, they will have to forfeit the match, and the other team will get the points,” he stated.
Thakur reaffirmed India’s long-standing policy of not engaging in bilateral cricket series with Pakistan, reiterating, “India doesn’t play bilateral tournaments with Pakistan. We have made this decision for years that India won’t play bilateral tournaments with Pakistan until Pakistan stops terrorist attacks on India.”
The emotional weight of the issue was further underlined by Aishanya Dwivedi, wife of Shubham Dwivedi, one of the security personnel martyred in the recent Pahalgam terror attack. She appealed to the public to boycott the match entirely. “I cannot understand this. I urge people to boycott this. Do not go to watch this and do not switch on your TV for this,” she said in a statement to ANI.
Aishanya criticised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for lacking sensitivity towards the victims of the attack and their families.
“BCCI should not have accepted a match between India and Pakistan… I think BCCI is not sentimental towards those 26 families and those who made the supreme sacrifice during Operation Sindoor,” she added.
This will be the first international cricket fixture between the two nations since the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. Despite the political and emotional outcry, the central government has issued no objections to India’s participation in the Asia Cup match, given its status as a multi-nation tournament.
(With inputs from ANI)