Suryakumar Yadav reacts to Modi's ‘Op Sindoor’ post after India's Asia Cup win : 'PM bats on the front foot'

Indian T20 Captain Suryakumar Yadav reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Operation Sindoor on the games field" remark on Monday (September 29) after the team secured the grand Asia Cup 2025 win.

Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav said, “It feels good when the country's leader himself bats on the front foot; it felt like he took the strike and scored runs. It was great to see, and when the sir is standing in front, then definitely the players will play freely.”

“The most important thing is that the whole country is celebrating. When we go back [to India], it will feel good, and we will get more inspiration and motivation to do well,” Yadav added.

On Sunday, India won the Asia Cup final against Pakistan with a score of 150/5 against Pakistan's 146/10.

PM Modi had then congratulated the team, posting on X, “#OperationSindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same - India wins!”

Asia Cup final controversy

The Asia Cup final between India and Pakistan was marked by controversy and tension, both on and off the field.

The Twenty20 tournament in the UAE was the first time the Asian cricket giants had met since the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.

On three consecutive weekends, India trounced Pakistan as many times and walked away with the title with a five-wicket win in the Asia Cup final in Dubai on Sunday.

Firstly, in the group stage [by seven wickets], then in the Super 4s encounter [by six wickets] and lastly in the final of the competition [by five wickets].

This was India's 9th Asia Cup title (combined in ODI and T20I formats), and this was also India's 9th straight win against Pakistan while chasing in T20Is.

The Asia Cup matches between India and Pakistan were marred by controversies.

After September 14 match, Indian cricketers refused to shake hands with Pakistan to show solidarity with victims of Pahalgam terror attack and the Indian armed forces. There were no handshakes after Sunday’s final either, or earlier at the toss.

It eventually descended into a full blown mocking match in the summit clash.

Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah delivered a perfect yorker to dismiss Haris Rauf in the 18th over and, in a cheeky send-off, mimicked the Pakistan pacer's dipping-flight act celebration from the Super 4 clash.

India then went on to secure a nerve-jangling win, but when Pakistan's Interior Minister and Asian Cricket Council chairman Mohsin Naqvi stood on the dais to hand the winner's trophy, the Indian team refused to accept it from him.

The reason? His well-documented anti-India comments and the heightening political tensions between the two countries after 26 Indians were gunned down by Pakistan-backed terrorists in Pahalgam earlier this year.

It was learnt that the BCCI had informed their ACC points-person that the team won't take the award from Naqvi, who had posted cryptic videos of Cristiano Ronaldo's plane crash goal celebration alluding to the Pakistani claims that six Indian jets were downed during 'Operation Sindoor'.

The Indian players then turned to social media to celebrate the triumph, making it a point to highlight the missing trophy through emojis.