Mumbai: The upcoming India-Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 clash, scheduled for September 14 at the Dubai International Stadium, has triggered a wave of anger across India, particularly in Mumbai.

The Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena (UBT) has issued a stern warning to hotels and restaurants, urging them not to screen the high-voltage match.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sharad Koli addressed the media, calling on hoteliers in Maharashtra to honour the grief of families who lost loved ones in the recent Pahalgam terror attack. “Terrorists in Pakistan shot Indians in the head, killing them brutally. Still, a match is being played with Pakistan,” Koli said. He warned, “No hotel owner or operator should telecast this match. If we love India, we must boycott it. If anyone shows the match, their television screens will be smashed, and the responsibility will lie with them.”

The warning comes amid nationwide outrage over the Pahalgam attack, where 26 tourists were killed. One of the victims, Shubham Dwivedi from Kanpur, had travelled with his wife, Aishanya, whose life has been devastated by the tragedy. “No one should go to the stadium or even watch the match on TV. I don’t understand how people can enjoy this game when so many families are still in pain,” Aishanya said.

Her criticism extended to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), accusing it of being insensitive. “BCCI should never have approved this match.

Don’t they feel the pain of the 26 families who lost their loved ones and the martyrs of Operation Sindoor? This shows BCCI’s complete lack of empathy,” she added.

In Mumbai, where cricket screenings in hotels and bars usually attract massive crowds, the Shiv Sena UBT’s warning has created a tense atmosphere.

What is normally a moment of sporting excitement has turned into a political and emotional flashpoint. For many Mumbaikars, the debate is no longer just about cricket—it has become about paying respect to the victims of the Pahalgam tragedy and taking a stand against Pakistan-sponsored terror.