Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut criticized the government, claiming that the team did not wish to participate but was compelled to do so. He further alleged that ₹25,000 crore earned from the match has been funneled to Pakistan and could be used against India’s interests. “You cannot ban a match only because of money,” Raut stated.
India secured a massive victory over Pakistan in yesterday’s cricket match, but the game has sparked controversy with allegations that the Indian team was forced to play under government pressure.
Raut also accused authorities of fixing the match. “Efforts were made to ensure that Pakistan does not receive loans, but instead they were allowed to earn money through this match. BJP backed out when they had the opportunity,” he added. He further alleged that gambling worth ₹1.5 lakh crore took place during the match and that India’s participation led to embarrassment.
Raut cited cricket veteran Sunil Gavaskar’s remarks, saying that the players were reluctant to play the match but were forced to do so due to governmental pressure.
In a separate statement, Raut criticized Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, urging him to stop using Balasaheb Thackeray’s image for political gain. “It is being said that there was no handshake… but you still played the match, didn’t you?” Raut remarked.
Protests erupted across the state yesterday against the India-Pakistan cricket match, with the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) group leading the demonstrations. Many expressed that holding such a match was inappropriate, as only a few months have passed since the Pahalgam attack, which claimed numerous Indian lives.
