Uddhav Thackeray slams cricket with Pakistan, calling it an insult to national sentiments. On Saturday (September 13, 2025), the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief said boycotting the Asia Cup match, scheduled for Sunday (September 14), is the right way to show India’s stand against terrorism.
At a press conference in Mumbai, Uddhav Thackeray said Indian soldiers sacrifice their lives on the borders. Yet, the Centre wants cricket ties with Pakistan. He asked whether patriotism has been reduced to a joke. “Blood and water cannot flow together. So how can cricket and blood go together?” he asked.
Thackeray also targeted the BJP-led Centre. He questioned if Operation Sindoor, launched after the Pahalgam terror attack, has been abandoned. He urged patriots not to watch the match, saying it insults martyrs.
The Sena (UBT) will stage sindoor protests across Maharashtra. Women workers will collect sindoor and send it to the Prime Minister’s Office as a symbol of protest.
Thackeray recalled that his father, Bal Thackeray, opposed cricket with Pakistan until terror stopped. He also cited the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics. According to him, such boycotts send a strong message to the world.
