Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 15 : Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) benefits from India's cricket matches against Pakistan, claiming that these fixtures generate massive betting and gambling, with funds eventually flowing to Pakistan.
Speaking at a press conference here, he described today's scheduled T20 World Cup 2026 India vs Pakistan match not as a contest between the two teams, but as a fixture between the ICC Chairman, Jay Shah, and Pakistan.
"This is not an India-Pakistan match. This is a Jay Shah vs Pakistan match. The people of India do not want it. The Indian public does not consent to India playing against Pakistan. The India-Pakistan match generates the highest amount of betting and gambling in cricket, and the money also goes to Pakistan. Even dalals (local brokers), especially politicians in the BJP, benefit from it," Sanjay Raut said.
He further claimed that a large gambling and betting network operates from Gujarat and Rajasthan, with the proceeds reaching Pakistan. Raut alleged that some of this money is also used to fund terrorism, resulting in attacks in Pahalgam, Pulwama, Uri, and Pathankot.
"This is a huge racket, running from Gujarat and Rajasthan, related to betting and gambling. In the last match against Pakistan, Rs 25,000 crore went to Pakistan. That money then reaches terrorists--some go to Pahalgam, some to Pulwama, some to Uri, some to Pathankot. This is what happens with India-Pakistan cricket; money flows this way," Raut added.
His remarks come amid opposition from some quarters to India playing Pakistan in international tournaments, given the strained ties between the two nations.
Earlier, the Pakistan national cricket team, which had decided to boycott its group-stage T20 World Cup match against arch-rivals India in support of Bangladesh, was directed by the Pakistani Government to take the field on February 15 for its scheduled fixture against the defending champions.
The decision followed a briefing by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the outcomes of high-level talks among the PCB, the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), according to a Government of Pakistan statement.
Pakistan had previously decided to boycott their group-stage T20 World Cup match against India in support of Bangladesh, which was expelled from the tournament after the ICC rejected its request to shift match venues outside India due to "security concerns".
The India-Pakistan cricket rivalry is widely regarded as one of the most high-profile sporting contests globally, drawing massive viewership and intense public interest whenever the two sides face off in ICC tournaments.
The match is scheduled for today at 7 PM at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka.