India-Pakistan Asia Cup cricket match: Opposition parties slam BJP, BCCI for playing with the ‘enemy’

Opposition parties in Maharashtra on Friday slammed the BJP and the BCCI over the India-Pakistan Asia Cup cricket match scheduled for September 14, with Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray asking if "blood and cricket can flow together".

The Maharashtra Congress called it an insult to the kin of those killed in the Pahalgam terror attack and soldiers who have been martyred in the line of duty.

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) said the government's dual standards had been exposed after it allowed the match to proceed.

Responding to the criticism, Maharashtra minister and cricket administrator Ashish Shelar said international sporting events cannot be dictated by bilateral political stand-offs.

Talking to reporters, Thackeray said Pakistan has staged multiple terror attacks inside India, and broadcasters in the country should boycott the India-Pakistan match.

"The BCCI is becoming anti-national. Why is the BCCI so excited about playing with Pakistan? Is it because of greed for money, TV revenue, advertisement revenue, or is it for the fees of players? When Pakistan can boycott the Asia Cup just because it was in India, then why cannot the BCCI do it?" he asked.

"Had the real BJP been in power, it would not have allowed it. The BJP has changed its ideology," Thackeray said.

"If blood and water cannot flow together, how can cricket and blood be together?" Thackeray later said in a post on X.

"Why the Union government (is) silent on playing with a country that harbours terrorism," he further said in another tweet.

Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant told PTI that allowing the game to go ahead was a diplomatic failure and an insult to the kin of those killed in the Pahalgam terror attack and soldiers who have been martyred in the line of duty.

"The cricket match has exposed the dual standards of the government and the ruling party whose politics revolves around India-Pakistan," NCP (SP) spokesperson Jitendra Awhad told PTI.

Speaking elsewhere, BJP minister Shelar, who is also the BCCI's representative on the Asia Cricket Council Board, accused Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut of adopting an "anti-India" position on the issue.

"Our stand has always been clear that the Indian cricket team will not undertake a tour of Pakistan and vice versa. However, we cannot restrict our team from playing or participating in an international tournament," Shelar said.