Suryakumar Yadav: True Champions Always Claim Their Rightful Trophy, Despite Setbacks

The victorious Indian cricket team faced an unusual situation when they refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister and the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Reflecting on the incident, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav expressed his surprise at the situation, noting, “In all my years of playing and following cricket, I’ve never seen a champion team being denied a trophy, especially after such hard work. In my eyes, the real trophies are my teammates and support staff,” he stated during the post-match press conference at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, following India’s five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the tournament’s final.

Suryakumar, who earlier dedicated India’s initial victory against Pakistan on September 14 to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and the Indian Army, concluded by announcing his donation of match fees from the Asia Cup to the armed forces. “I am donating my match fees from this tournament to the Indian Army,” he declared.

The team’s celebrations were delayed, as they neither received the trophy nor the winners’ medals immediately after the match. The Indian players eventually gathered on stage around midnight to celebrate. Suryakumar humorously recounted the delay, saying he saw the ‘champions’ banner come and go: “The champion’s board arrived and left. We also saw that,” he joked.

During the press conference, tensions rose when a Pakistani journalist criticized Suryakumar for allegedly blending politics with sport. The Indian media manager chose not to address the question, but Suryakumar lightheartedly responded, “You’re getting angry.”

In response to inquiries about whether the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had issued instructions regarding the refusal to accept the trophy from Naqvi, Suryakumar clarified, “We made the decision on the ground with no prior instructions.”

Published on Sep 29, 2025.