Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 12 : Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray on Friday slammed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the India and Pakistan clash in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025.
He questioned why India doesn't boycott matches with Pakistan, as they did not participate in the recently concluded Men's Hockey Asia Cup hosted by India. India is set to clash with Pakistan on September 14.
While speaking to the media, Aaditya Thackeray said, "Pakistan, which has repeatedly launched attacks on our nation, spread terrorism in the nation, and killed innocent people in Pahalgam. Why is the BCCI so excited to play a match against Pakistan? Pakistan decided to boycott the 2025 Men's Hockey Asia Cup as the tournament was being hosted by India. Why can't we also boycott? The BJP has changed its ideology. It is very unfortunate that we are playing a match with Pakistan. BCCI is anti-national."
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut also slammed the Centre over the issue, calling for a protest with the name 'Sindoor Raksha Abhiyaan' against the IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2025 match.
Raut asked if the "blood" and "water" cannot flow together, then how can "blood" and "cricket" work together?
"We will protest against this India-Pakistan cricket match. Women will come on the streets, and our campaign is 'Sindoor Raksha Abhiyan'. You said that water and blood will not flow together. If water and blood will not flow together, then how will blood and cricket work together? This is treason, shamelessness," Sanjay Raut told reporters.
The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a request to urgently list a plea seeking an interim stay on the cricket match between India and Pakistan, which is scheduled to take place in Dubai on September 14 . While rejecting the request, a bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi stated that the match should go on.
The counsel appearing for the petitioner sought that the plea be heard urgently on Friday as the said match is set to take place on Sunday this week. However, the Court declined the request.
The plea had been filed by one Urvashi Jain, who has challenged the scheduled match by contending that playing with Pakistan would send an opposite message and that the dignity and security of citizens come before entertainment.
"Cricket between nations is meant to show harmony and friendship. But after the Pahalgam Terror Attack and Operation Sindoor, when our people died and our soldiers risked everything, playing with Pakistan sent the opposite message that while our soldiers sacrifice their lives, we are celebrating sports with the same families of the victims who lost their lives at the hands of the Pakistani terrorist", the plea stated.
It further asserted that the cricket match between India and Pakistan is detrimental to the national interest, to the morale of the armed forces and of the nation as a whole. Additionally, the plea stated that the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports does not recognise any official cricket federation, while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) operates like "a nation within a nation", insensitive to the national problems, calamities, sorrows and so on.
The petitioner further contended that organising a cricket match with Pakistan amid ongoing tensions is sending out an unhealthy message to the armed forces and the public in general.
"Operation Sindoor is still ongoing against the terror base camps in Pakistan. When we still have infiltrations in a non-stop manner in the valley of Kashmir, our armed forces have been carrying out day & night search operations fighting the infiltrators from Pakistan, our soldiers are sacrificing their lives and citizens too falling prey to the bullets of Pakistan-sponsored terrorists", the plea argued.
The India national cricket team is taking on Pakistan for the first time in an international cricket match after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. Ahead of the clash, there had been a widespread demand from the opposition to boycott the match. However, the Centre had issued no objection from the Indian team to playing against Pakistan in any multi-nation tournament.