Suryakumar Yadav reflects on India's Asia Cup victory over Pakistan, emphasizing team unity over trophy controversy

On September 28, 2025, Suryakumar Yadav’s India defeated Pakistan by five wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium to win the Asia Cup. It was India’s ninth Asia Cup title, but the victory was remembered for much more than the cricket. The tournament had unfolded against a tense India-Pakistan backdrop, with the customary handshake between the two sides becoming a major talking point and the trophy presentation ending in an extraordinary standoff.

Twelve months later, Suryakumar has looked back on that campaign with a message that focuses less on the controversy and more on the people and experiences behind India’s success.

“What followed was more than just a win. The belief in the dressing room, the trust in each other, the countless hours of hard work, the pressure of the big moments and finally, that feeling of standing together as champions.”

His words offer a reminder that, for the Indian captain, the lasting memory of the tournament was not simply the silverware but the journey that produced it.

Even before the final, much of the attention surrounding the tournament centred on the meetings between India and Pakistan. Their group-stage match saw no customary handshake between the captains at the toss. That followed even after the match. Suryakumar subsequently said the decision had been a collective one involving the team and support staff. The same pattern continued when the teams met again in the Super Four stage.

After the final, the post-match presentation became the most unusual chapter of the tournament. India declined to accept the winners’ trophy from Asian Cricket Council president Mohsin Naqvi, who was also Pakistan’s interior minister and chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board. The presentation was delayed and ultimately concluded without India receiving the trophy on the stage.

But on the night itself, Suryakumar attempted to put the focus back on his players. He said the “real trophy” was the group of players and support staff in the dressing room and the memories created during the campaign.

“Looking back today, I realise that the trophy was only a part of what made that journey special,” he wrote. “It was the people beside me, the battles we fought together, the moments we celebrated together and the belief that never left us.”