In a significant moment following India’s triumph in the Asia Cup 2025, captain Suryakumar Yadav made a heartfelt announcement: he would donate his entire match fees from the tournament to the Indian armed forces. This gesture came alongside his unequivocal criticism of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) for their failure to award the championship trophy to the victorious Indian team.
Addressing the media after India’s five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the final at the Dubai International Stadium, Suryakumar expressed his disappointment. “This is something I have never witnessed in my entire cricketing journey. For a champion team, especially after a hard-earned triumph, to be denied its trophy is truly unprecedented,” he stated.
India had an impressive, unbeaten run throughout the tournament, securing three victories against arch-rivals Pakistan, including the crucial final match. However, the absence of an official trophy presentation cast a shadow over their celebrations.
“For me, the true trophies are my 14 teammates and the dedicated support staff, all sitting in the dressing room. They are the real reason we claimed this title. Despite that, seeing a team win such a hard-fought tournament and not receive a trophy is genuinely astonishing,” Suryakumar added, underscoring his team’s unity and achievement.
Commenting on how these off-field issues affected his leadership, the Indian captain affirmed that they did not disrupt the team’s focus. “It wasn’t that challenging. The boys handled it remarkably well. Their spirits remained high throughout the campaign.”
“From day one, my message to them has been consistent: concentrate solely on the cricket on the field. During practice, enjoy what you’re doing and replicate that intensity in the actual game,” he explained. “I believe the team embraced this positive mindset. We remained unbeaten, and the players consistently rose to the occasion when it mattered most. These are the small, significant victories we carry forward into the World Cup year.”
He reiterated his earlier point, “As I said before, I’ve never seen a team win such a hard-fought tournament and not get a trophy. While we might have been disappointed, there were still plenty of smiles on our faces as we celebrated on the podium, enjoying that winning moment.”
Suryakumar also took the opportunity to address questions about his personal batting form. Dismissing notions of being “out of form,” he clarified, “I don’t think I am out of form; I am simply out of runs. I have immense faith in my preparation. In matches, everything eventually falls into place automatically. God is watching, and if you continue to work hard, success will come when it’s meant to.”
He concluded his press conference with a powerful and unexpected announcement: “As a gesture, I wish to donate my match fees from all the games in this tournament to the Indian Army. Some might call it controversial, but for me, it is absolutely the right thing to do.”