New Delhi: After Sunday night’s extraordinary Asia Cup victory and the events that followed, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav pledged to donate his entire tournament match fees to the armed forces and the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.
The Indian skipper also lashed out at the organisers of the event for the post-match drama that followed India’s victory, mentioning that he has never seen a winning team being denied the trophy. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) did not hand over the Asia Cup to India after the team refused to accept it from Mohsin Naqvi, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and interior minister of the country. Naqvi is also president of the ACC.
“I have decided to donate my match fees from this tournament to support our Armed Forces and the families of the victims who suffered from the Pahalgam terror attack. You always remain in my thoughts. Jai Hind,” the 35-year-old wrote on X, soon after lifting the trophy.
Team India cricketers earn Rs 4 lakh per T20 international, which amounts to Rs 28 lakh for the seven matches played during the multinational championship. Suryakumar’s announcement is exceptional, given the controversy that followed the decision by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to participate in the tournament.
Suryakumar has been expressing support for the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and the Indian armed forces since India’s first match against Pakistan. His announcement to dedicate that victory also cost him 30% of his match fees.
What followed was a flawless run for India in the tournament. India remained unbeaten in all seven matches, beating Pakistan thrice. Indian players notably avoided pleasantries with their Pakistani counterparts throughout the competition, making a strong statement both on and off the field.
After Sunday’s victory, Team India celebrated on the ground in Dubai without the trophy. They later posted photographs with trophy emojis.
Speaking at the post-match press conference after winning the tournament, Suryakumar said: “I think this is one thing that I have never seen since I started playing cricket, since I started following cricket, that a champion team is denied to get a trophy. I mean that, too, a hard-earned one…I feel we deserved it and I can’t say anything more.”
‘I think I have summed it up really well…My trophies are sitting in my dressing room. All the 14 guys with me, all the support staff, those are the real trophies, who I have been a big fan of throughout this journey of the Asia Cup…Those are the real trophies, real moments, which I’m taking back as lovely memories which will stay with me forever going forward,” he said.
The BCCI, meanwhile, announced a massive Rs 21 crore award for the winning team and support staff soon after the victory. The announcement was made on the Board’s official social media platforms, with a pointed message celebrating India’s clean sweep over Pakistan.
“Three blows. 0 response. Asia Cup Champions. Message delivered. Rs 21 crores prize money for the team and support staff,” BCCI posted.
The Board’s vice-president Rajeev Shukla also lauded the team’s performance and posted: “The undefeated champions of ASIA. Congratulations Team India on a dominating win and 3-0 against Pak. Marvellous display by Tilak Verma and @imkuldeep18. A great show under pressure.”