India captain Suryakumar Yadav has pledged to donate his entire Asia Cup 2025 match fee to the Indian Army, dedicating the team’s hard-fought triumph over Pakistan to the soldiers of the nation.
India clinched their ninth Asia Cup title with a five-wicket win in Dubai, but celebrations were marred by an unprecedented controversy during the post-match presentation. The team refused to accept the trophy from Pakistan’s Interior Minister and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi, who insisted on presenting it himself.
The ceremony was delayed, with only individual awards being handed out. Despite India being ready to accept the trophy from Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni, Naqvi blocked the move, leaving the champions without silverware on the field – an unheard-of situation in cricket history.
“This is one thing I have never seen since I started playing cricket – that a champion team is denied a trophy. It was a hard-earned tournament, and we deserved to hold it,” said Yadav at the post-match press conference.
Downplaying the controversy, Yadav added: “If you ask me about trophies, my trophies are in the dressing room – the 14 players and the support staff who stood with me throughout this journey. They are the real trophies I will cherish forever.”
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also announced a ₹21 crore reward for the players and support staff in recognition of their Asia Cup triumph.
India’s emphatic win over arch-rivals Pakistan, coupled with Suryakumar’s gesture towards the armed forces, has struck an emotional chord with fans back home, even as the trophy controversy continues to stir debate across the cricketing world.
