Overview

• Calling the fixture an “insult to national sentiments,” the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief urged Indians to boycott Sunday’s India–Pakistan match.
• He questioned playing Pakistan while soldiers are sacrificing their lives and cited the prime minister’s “blood and water” remark to argue that “blood and cricket” cannot coexist.
• He announced statewide demonstrations on Sunday morning, including the ‘Maza Koonku, Maza Desh’ campaign led by the party’s women’s wing.
• He accused the BJP-led government of valuing trade over patriotism after the Pahalgam attack and referenced Operation Sindoor as still underway.
• He appealed to the prime minister to cancel the match and recalled Bal Thackeray’s stance, citing a message to Javed Miandad that cricket should stop until terrorism ends.