Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian cricket team on Monday for playing the Asia Cup final against Pakistan. While the Indian team secured a tense five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final, the match sparked a political row, with the Opposition questioning the decision to participate against their arch-rivals.
Referring to the video he shared on X, Raut stated that the Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav shook hands with Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi before the tournament.
Furthermore, while addressing a press conference in Mumbai, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader further criticised the decision to participate in the match against Pakistan.
“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 that shows the Indian captain shaking hands with them, having tea, and clicking pictures. Do you think the public is a fool?” ANI quoted him as saying.
Raut also 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.
On Monday, Raut shared the video on X and called the post-match proceedings a “nationalist drama.”
“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),” he wrote in the post on X.
Furthermore, Maharashtra Congress Chief Spokesperson Atul Londhe Patil took a jibe at Union Minister Amit Shah and questioned why the International Cricket Council’s Chairman and his son Jay Shah did not oust the Pakistan team.
“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?” he told ANI.
Asia Cup Trophy Row
After defeating Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final, the Indian team refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the PCB, and the Interior Minister of Pakistan.
India beat Pakistan by five wickets in the final on Sunday in Dubai.
