Mumbai: The upcoming India-Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 match, scheduled for September 14 at the Dubai International Stadium, has sparked a storm of anger across India. In Mumbai, the Thackeray group has taken a strong stand, warning hotels and restaurants against showing the match on their premises.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sharad Koli addressed the issue directly, urging hoteliers in Maharashtra to respect the nation’s grief after the Pahalgam terror attack. “Terrorists in Pakistan killed Indians by shooting them in the head. Still, a match is being played with Pakistan."
Koli further warned, "No hotel owner or operator should show this match on TV. If we love India, no one should show the match. If the match is shown, their TV will be broken, and the responsibility will be theirs."
His remarks come amid widespread anger following the tragic Pahalgam attack, in which 26 tourists were killed. One of the victims, Shubham Dwivedi from Kanpur, had travelled with his wife Aishanya, whose life was shattered in the assault.
Speaking with grief, Aishanya appealed to people not to give importance to the match. “No one should go to the stadium to watch this match or even watch it on TV. I don’t understand why people are still watching this game,” she said.
The criticism has not stopped at hotel operators. Voices from Mumbai and beyond have also turned against the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Aishanya strongly criticised the board, saying, “BCCI should not have approved this match. Don’t they feel the pain of the 26 families of the Pahalgam attack and the martyrs of Operation Sindoor? BCCI has no sensitivity towards these families.”
In Mumbai, where cricket screenings in hotels and bars often draw massive crowds, the Thackeray group’s warning has added tension to the atmosphere. What is usually a moment of sporting excitement has become a flashpoint of political and emotional debate. For many Mumbaikars, the question is no longer about cricket, but about respect for those who lost their lives in the Pahalgam tragedy.
