Suryakumar Yadav Donates Asia Cup Match Fees to Army

Indian cricket captain Suryakumar Yadav has pledged to donate his entire match fees from the Asia Cup 2025 to the Indian Army and the families affected by the Pahalgam terror attack. After leading India to a five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the final held in Dubai, Yadav expressed his commitment during the post-match press conference. "I want to give my match fees from all the games which I have played in this tournament to the Indian Army," he stated.

India's triumph marked their ninth Asia Cup title, including both T20 and ODI formats. The match saw significant contributions from players like Tilak Varma, who scored a crucial half-century, and Shivam Dube, who helped stabilize the innings after a shaky start. Despite the victory, the post-match presentation was marred by controversy as the Indian team refused to accept the trophy from Pakistan's interior minister and Asian Cricket Council president, Mohsin Naqvi.

The ceremony faced delays, and when it concluded, the Indian players opted not to collect their medals or the trophy. Yadav expressed his disappointment, saying, "This is something I have never seen in all my years of playing and following cricket. A champion team was denied a trophy, and it was a hard-earned one. We truly deserved it."

He emphasized that the real trophies are the memories and experiences shared with his teammates and support staff throughout the tournament. "If you ask me about trophies, I have 14 of them in my dressing room. The players and the support staff are the real trophies. Those are the real memories I am taking back, and they will stay with me forever," he added.

Following the match, the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced a reward of ₹21 crore for the players and support staff, celebrating their achievement despite the unusual circumstances surrounding the trophy presentation. Yadav's donation, amounting to ₹28 lakh for playing all seven matches, reflects his commitment to supporting the armed forces and the victims' families, stating, "You always remain in my thoughts. Jai Hind."