‘Pakistan boycotted Hockey Asia Cup...’: Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena UBT leaders react to India’s victory in Asia Cup

Following India’s victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray said on Monday that the Indian cricket team should not have played Pakistan, as the country had boycotted the Hockey Asia Cup in Bihar.

Shiv Sena (UBT) lawmaker Aaditya Thackeray said, “Shaking hands, not shaking hands, taking the trophy, not taking it, all this is a drama. First of all, we should not have played. Pakistan boycotted the Hockey Asia Cup in Bihar. Could we not have boycotted this? This whole Operation Sindoor happened because our Indian citizens were killed in Pahalgam. BJP also says that they were killed because they were Hindus.”

He added, “Last year, we were told that Hindus are being oppressed in Bangladesh. That is why the BCCI called them here and played a bilateral series with Bangladesh. The same Indian government sent rice and grains to Bangladesh. This year, there was an attack in Pahalgam. Hindus were killed. India is playing with Pakistan. What's this? And will the BJP teach us patriotism?”

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut criticised the BJP and the Indian cricket team for playing against Pakistan in the Asia Cup final.

Referring to a video he posted on X, Raut said that the Indian captain, Suryakumar Yadav, shook hands with the Pakistan Cricket Board chief, Mohsin Naqvi, before the tournament.

At a press conference in Mumbai, Sanjay Raut said, “I don't know about the BJP's fake patriots and devotees, but the actual patriots did not watch the match yesterday. You did not take the trophy from the PCB chief Naqvi, but I shared a video which shows the Indian captain shaking hands with them, having a tea and clicking pictures. Do you think the public is a fool?”

Further, the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP called the match between India and Pakistan an insult to the Indian Army and the people who died during the Pahalgam terror attack.

“Our question is, why are you playing with Pakistan? You should not insult the soldiers who martyred and the people who died in Pahalgam. You did not take the trophy, did not shake hands with their captain, but then why did you play the match? If you played, then stop this drama,” he said.

Earlier on Monday, Raut shared a video on X and called the post-match proceedings a “nationalist drama”.

He wrote, “Just 15 days ago, at the start of the series, they were shaking hands and smiling for photos with Pakistan's minister Mohsin Naqvi. And now? Full-on nationalist drama for the cameras! If patriotism was truly in your blood, you wouldn't have even stepped on the field with Pakistan. Top to bottom -- pure theatre. Public being played (with).”

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress chief spokesperson, Atul Londhe Patil, took a sharp jibe at Union Minister Amit Shah, challenging him on why the Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC)—his son, Jay Shah—did not ensure the removal of the Pakistan team from the tournament.

He told ANI: “It is good, but we want to ask, has 'Operation Sindoor' ended? If the game was being played to normalise relations, it would be understandable, but how can it take place mid-operation? Is this happening for money? Amit Shah says this is organised by ICC, then why can't ICC, with his son's presidency, oust Pakistan?”