India’s Asia Cup 2025-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “batting on the front foot” against Pakistan, crediting his leadership for inspiring the team to play with greater confidence and freedom. Speaking a day after India’s thrilling five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Dubai final, Surya reflected on the larger significance of the win for the nation.
Moments after Rinku Singh struck the winning boundary in the last over, PM Modi had drawn parallels between India’s cricket triumph and Operation Sindoor. This military strike dismantled terror infrastructure in Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack earlier this year. “Operation Sindoor on the game’s field. Outcome is the same – India wins,” Modi wrote on social media, sparking massive celebrations online.
Suryakumar Yadav echoed the Prime Minister’s sentiment, telling ANI: “It feels good when the country’s leader himself bats on the front foot; it felt like he took the strike and scored runs. When Sir is standing in front, the players automatically feel free. The best part is the whole country is celebrating. When we return home, it will be even more special, and it will give us motivation to do better.”
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The skipper had already made headlines by dedicating his entire match fees from the tournament to the Indian armed forces. India, who beat Pakistan three times in this Asia Cup, had earlier dedicated their group-stage victory to the army and victims of the Pahalgam attack.
#WATCH | Dubai, UAE: On PM Modi’s tweet “Operation Sindoor on the games field”, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav says, “It feels good when the country’s leader himself bats on the front foot; it felt like he took the strike and scored runs. It was great to see, and when the sir is… pic.twitter.com/nLLsgwuqPI
— ANI (@ANI) September 29, 2025
#WATCH | Dubai, UAE: On India refused to accept the Asia Cup 2025 trophy from ACC chairman Mohsin Naqvi, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav says, “I won’t call it controversy. If you have seen, people have posted photos of trophy here and there. But the real trophy is when you win… pic.twitter.com/v33vIktcdr
— ANI (@ANI) September 29, 2025
Despite their unbeaten campaign, the Men in Blue were denied the chance to lift the official trophy after refusing to accept it from Asian Cricket Council chief and Pakistan’s interior minister Mohsin Naqvi. Naqvi controversially walked away with the silverware, leaving the presentation ceremony in chaos.
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Suryakumar, however, brushed aside the drama, focusing on the team’s achievement and unity. “When you win a tournament unbeaten, it’s a great feeling. For us, the real trophies are people’s hearts, the trust of teammates, support staff, and everyone working behind the scenes. Silverware is fine, but the true victory lies in the love and belief of the people,” he said.
For Suryakumar Yadav and his men, Asia Cup 2025 wasn’t just another title—it was a statement of resilience, unity, and character, celebrated by millions across India.
