Sanjay Raut alleges India paid Rs 50,000 crore to Pakistan to win Asia Cup
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Opposition MP Sanjay Raut has accused the Asia Cup match between India and Pakistan of being “match fixing” after India secured a seven-wicket win in Dubai.
The controversial clash, which took place on Sunday, drew protests and boycott calls from several quarters.
The political tensions were visible on the field as well, with Team India refusing to shake hands with the Pakistani side after the game.
Raut claimed that the PCB received ₹1,000 crore and that the match was fixed. He alleged that out of ₹1.5 lakh crore in gambling, ₹50,000 crore went to Pakistan. He pointed out the irony in asking the IMF and Asian Development Bank not to provide loans to Pakistan on the grounds that the money would support terrorism, while accusing Amit Shah’s son of sending funds to Pakistan. According to Raut, this is part of a strategy to finance Pakistan’s terrorism, enabling attacks on India for political gain.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, who had earlier announced on Thursday that his party would launch a ‘Sindoor Rakhsa’ campaign to protest the match, reiterated his disapproval on Monday. He called the game a “shameless” event and described it as “a disrespect to our Armed Forces” and the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.
The allegations follow broader criticism from various Opposition parties. Many termed the India-Pakistan match as “treason” and questioned the government’s “double standards.” The Supreme Court had rejected an urgent plea seeking to stay the September 14 match. Influential businessmen, celebrities, and political leaders also announced boycotts.
Members of the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi even set fire to an effigy representing Pakistani players. Congress leaders organised a vigil to honour the victims of the Pahalgam attack. Meanwhile, Indian T20 vice-captain Shubman Gill and captain Suryakumar Yadav dedicated their win to the victims and armed forces.
In the match itself, India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav led the team to a strong victory. A spin-heavy bowling attack restricted Pakistan to 127-9. Opener Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma scored 31 runs each, while Suryakumar’s unbeaten 47 runs helped seal the win with a six and 4.1 overs to spare. This was the first India-Pakistan meeting since the two nuclear-armed nations clashed militarily in May this year.