“Batting on the front foot”: Suryakumar Yadav reacts to PM Modi’s Asia Cup message

India’s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav dedicated a special word of praise to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after leading his side to a memorable five-wicket win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final in Dubai on Sunday.

Suryakumar Yadav hails PM Modi’s support after India’s Asia Cup victory

Shortly after India clinched their ninth Asia Cup title, PM Modi took to X to congratulate the team with a powerful message that also referenced India’s recent military response to terrorism. “Operation Sindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same – India wins! Congrats to our cricketers,” Modi wrote, drawing a parallel between India’s victory on the cricket field and the armed forces’ success in Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives earlier this year.

Reacting to the Prime Minister’s words, Suryakumar said it felt as though Modi himself had walked onto the field and batted for India. “It feels good when the country’s leader himself bats on the front foot; it felt like he took the strike and scored runs. When Sir is standing in front, the players will automatically play freely. The whole country is celebrating, and when we go back home, we’ll feel even better and gain more motivation to keep performing,” he told ANI.

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Spinners shine as India wins Asia Cup, Surya praises PM Modi

India’s campaign in this Asia Cup carried heavy political undertones, with the team opting not to engage in customary gestures with the Pakistan contingent as a mark of solidarity with the victims of the Pahalgam attack. The intensity peaked during the final when India refused to accept the trophy directly from Asian Cricket Council chief and PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who eventually walked away from the podium with it.

Suryakumar, however, played down the incident. “I won’t call it a controversy. The real trophy is when you win the hearts of people, the trust of teammates, and the support staff. That’s more valuable than anything else,” he said.

On the field, India’s spinners Kuldeep Yadav (4-30), Axar Patel (2-26), and Varun Chakaravarthy (2-30) were ruthless on the slow Dubai track, combining to dismiss Pakistan for 146. Tilak Varma then anchored the chase with an unbeaten 69, while Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube chipped in with vital runs to secure the five-wicket win.

For Suryakumar, it was a milestone moment his first major tournament triumph as captain in a high-pressure India–Pakistan final. And with the Prime Minister himself applauding the victory, the skipper admitted the triumph felt all the more special.

With their ninth Asia Cup crown in the bag and momentum firmly on their side, India will now shift focus to upcoming international assignments, carrying both the confidence of an unbeaten campaign and the encouragement of the nation’s leadership.