Video: Uddhav Sena leader smashes TV to protest India-Pak Asia Cup match

The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Saturday staged street protests across Maharashtra against India’s Asia Cup cricket match with Pakistan, calling it an “insult to national sentiment”, in the wake of the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor. In Mumbai, UBT spokesperson Anand Dubey smashed a television set during a demonstration, symbolically rejecting the telecast of the match.

Protesters chanted slogans such as "Cricket se humko bair nahi, Pakistan teri khair nahi" (We are not against cricket, but Pakistan should beware), and "Bharat Mata ki jai" (Victory to Mother India). They were later seen stomping upon the broken TV sets too.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, who had earlier announced “sindoor protests” across the state, said playing a cricket match with Pakistan while Indian soldiers are sacrificing their lives on the borders was unacceptable. “The BCCI is becoming anti-national. Why is it so excited about playing with Pakistan — is it greed for TV revenue or player fees? If Pakistan can boycott the Asia Cup when it is held in India, why can’t the BCCI do the same?” Thackeray asked.

He said the Union government’s silence on the issue was troubling. “If blood and water cannot flow together, how can cricket and blood be together?” he posted on X.

Opposition parties, including the Congress and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), also slammed the BJP and the BCCI, terming the match a “diplomatic failure.” Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant called it an insult to the families of 26 people killed in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad said the episode had exposed the “dual standards” of the government and ruling party.

Responding to the criticism, Maharashtra minister and cricket administrator Ashish Shelar defended the decision, saying international tournaments could not be dictated by bilateral political stand-offs. “Our stand is clear that India will not tour Pakistan and vice versa. But we cannot restrict our team from playing in a multilateral tournament,” he said.

The Asia Cup match between India and Pakistan is scheduled to be played in Abu Dhabi on Sunday evening.

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