After India’s thrilling five-wicket win against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final, captain Suryakumar Yadav appeared in the press conference alongside opener Abhishek Sharma. The match sealed India’s record ninth Asia Cup title, but the conclusion of the tournament was overshadowed by controversy.
Asian Cricket Council chief and PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi took away the trophy and medals after the Indian team refused to accept them from his hands, citing his political role. In this atmosphere of tension, Suryakumar faced a direct accusation during the media interaction.
Pakistani Reporter’s Accusation
During the post-match conference, a Pakistani reporter charged Suryakumar with bringing politics into cricket. The reporter remarked, “The question is that you have become a champion today and played well. But the whole tournament, your behaviour with Pakistan team was not good. You didn’t shake hands. Then you did photo session for trophy.”
“And then you held political press conference. Do you think that in this whole history of cricket, you are the first captain who brought politics into it?” This question suggested that Suryakumar’s actions throughout the tournament were intentionally disrespectful toward Pakistan and framed them as politically motivated. The Indian skipper, however, did not allow the criticism to go unanswered and responded with a composed yet witty retort.
Suryakumar’s Response To Criticism
Suryakumar Yadav reacted to the reporter’s comments by saying, “Bolna hain ahi bolna hai? Gussa ho rahe ho aap. Sawaal pata nahi chala aapka, 4 questions ek saath puch liye aapne (Can I speak or not? You are getting angry (laughs). I didn’t understand your question, you asked four of them together).” His reply showed calmness and light humor despite the charged environment. Beyond this exchange, Suryakumar also directly criticized Mohsin Naqvi’s action of taking away the trophy.
He said, “This is one thing which I have never seen since I started playing and following cricket. That a champion team is denied to get a trophy, that too a hard-earned one. I feel we deserved it, and I can’t say anything more. My trophies are sitting in my dressing room, all the 14 guys with me, all the support staff, those are the real trophies.” Through his words, Suryakumar made it clear that for him and his team, the true sense of achievement lay in the efforts and unity of the squad, not in a disputed ceremony.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
