LUCKNOW: Aishanya Dwivedi, the young widow of one of the Pahalgam massacre victims, came out strongly against the upcoming India-Pakistan match in the Asia Cup 2025 championship, condemning the gesture and urging all the stakeholders concerned to boycott the fixture.
India and Pakistan are set for an Asia Cup match in Dubai on Sunday.
Criticising the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for agreeing to play against Pakistan, who she described as a "terrorist nation," Aishanya accused it of ignoring the sacrifices of 26 people who lost their lives in the terror attack on April 22, this year.
"BCCI should not have accepted a match between India and Pakistan. I think BCCI is not sentimental towards those 26 families. What are our cricketers doing? Cricketers are said to be nationalists. It is viewed as our national game. Except for 1-2 cricket players, nobody stepped forward to say that we should boycott the match against Pakistan. BCCI cannot make them play at gunpoint. They should take a stand for their country. But they are not doing it," she said while interacting with media persons in Kanpur.
Aishanya sought to ask the sponsors and broadcasters if the nationality for those 26 families was over? What will the revenue from the match be used for? Pakistan will use this just for terrorism. That is a terrorist nation. "You will provide them with revenue and prepare them to attack us once again. I cannot understand this," added an enraged Aishanya.
Calling for a nationwide boycott, she urged fans to take a stand. "Don't switch on your TVs. Don't give them the numbers. Boycott this match."
Meanwhile, Opposition parties, including AIMIM and Shiv Sena (UBT), among others, slammed the ruling BJP and the BCCI over the India-Pakistan Asia Cup cricket match scheduled for September 14.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray asked if “blood and cricket can flow together.” Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, on Thursday, refused to entertain a request to urgently list a plea seeking an interim stay on the cricket match between India and Pakistan in Dubai on September 14.
