Exclusive: Pakistan Players Crossed the Line, We Responded with Our Cricket – Suryakumar Yadav

India’s T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav has opened up in an exclusive conversation with India TV following the Asia Cup 2025 final, where India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan but returned home without the trophy. The dramatic end to the tournament has now taken another twist, as Surya revealed that Pakistan players “crossed the line” during the competition, but India chose to respond only through their cricket.

India wins Asia Cup but without the trophy

The Asia Cup final, played in Dubai, saw India come out on top against Pakistan in a tightly contested match. However, post-match drama overshadowed the victory as Team India refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chief and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

As a result, the trophy and the winners’ medals are still in Naqvi’s possession. During the presentation, commentator Simon Doull even announced that the Indian team would not collect the trophy that night, leading to confusion and a 1.5-hour delay.

Surya clarified that the Indian team had not abandoned the ceremony:

“Our players and staff are our trophies”

Despite the controversy, the Indian skipper expressed joy over the team’s achievement, stating that the smiles on Indian fans’ faces mattered more than silverware.

BCCI unhappy, ACC showdown expected

Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly unhappy with Mohsin Naqvi holding onto the Asia Cup trophy and the medals. The issue is expected to be raised during the ACC meeting scheduled at 2 PM IST today, where the BCCI is likely to corner Naqvi and demand the immediate handover of the trophy and medals to India.

Tensions beyond the boundary

The controversy has not only highlighted the tense India-Pakistan cricket rivalry but also sparked discussions around sportsmanship, politics in cricket, and governance issues in ACC. For fans, however, the victory on the field remains the ultimate prize, with Surya’s words reinforcing the belief that India let the bat and ball do the talking