After guiding India to a thrilling Asia Cup 2025 win against Pakistan, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav made a touching announcement. He said he would donate his entire match fee from the tournament to the Indian Armed Forces and to the families affected by the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. “I have decided to donate my match fees from this tournament to support our Armed Forces and the families of the victims who suffered from the Pahalgam terror attack. You always remain in my thoughts. Jai Hind,” Suryakumar posted on X.

As per reports, every Indian cricketer earns ₹4 lakh for each T20I game. Suryakumar, who played all seven matches in the competition, will be donating a total of ₹28 lakh. His decision was praised by fans and former players alike, as it showed his respect for the soldiers and their families. The announcement came just after India secured their ninth Asia Cup crown, and second in the T20I format, by beating Pakistan by five wickets in Dubai. Tilak Varma’s steady half-century, supported by useful knocks from Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube, helped India cross the line in the final.

The post-match ceremony, however, took a strange turn. The Indian team refused to collect their medals and the trophy from PCB chief and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) head Mohsin Naqvi. Instead, they were ready to receive the trophy from Emirates Cricket Board Vice Chairman Khalid Al Zarooni, but Naqvi did not agree. After a long wait, the trophy was taken away, and the presentation ended abruptly. Broadcaster Simon Doull told viewers, “Ladies and gentlemen, I have been informed by the Asian Cricket Council that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight. So that does conclude the post-match presentation.”

Suryakumar’s Words After the Win

Suryakumar said he had never seen such a situation before. “This is something I have never seen in all my years of playing and following cricket. A champion team was denied a trophy, and it was a hard-earned one. We played two strong games on back-to-back days. I felt we truly deserved it. I do not want to say much more,” he explained.

Watch the video here

Hats off to @surya_14kumar 🫡

Donates his 7 Match Fees ie. entire Asia Cup to @adgpi 👏🏻👏🏻

Jai Hind 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/hsC9t3FSKV

— Yo Yo Funny Singh (@moronhumor) September 28, 2025

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He also stressed that trophies are not everything. “If you ask me about trophies, I have 14 of them in my dressing room. The players and the support staff are the real trophies. I have been a big admirer of them throughout this Asia Cup journey. Those are the real memories I am taking back, and they will stay with me forever.”

In the end, the Indian players celebrated their win on the ground without the trophy or medals. Fireworks lit up the Dubai sky as Suryakumar recreated Rohit Sharma’s famous World Cup victory walk, giving fans a moment to remember.

Before the final of the Asia Cup 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium between Pakistan and India, there were heated interactions between the two countries. The politics were also involved in the clash, as the result was a huge proof of the situation. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, drew a sharp parallel between the two sides. 

The social media accounts also showed how the Indian Army jawans celebrated the win for the Suryakumar Yadav-led side. The army started to dance and sing around the fire as they were charged up with India’s win. Notably, the Indian Armed Forces carried out Operation Sindhoor, which was launched on May 07, 2025, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack.

See Also: Know what Indian players said after winning their ninth title of Asia Cup in 2025

The terror attack took away 26 lives of 26 innocent civilians. The Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force went through the joint mission with precision and coordination as they targeted the terror infrastructure across the Line of Control and deep inside Pakistan. It was conceived as a punitive strike, which was marked by speed and clarity of purpose.

Watch: Indian Army celebrates India’s Asia Cup 2025 win vs Pakistan

India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, won the toss and decided to bowl first on a surface that they expected to get better in the second innings. Pakistan made a solid start with the bat as they posted 84 runs for the opening wicket between Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman, as the former celebrated a fine half-century.

JAWANS OF INDIAN ARMY CELEBRATING THE VICTORY OF INDIA AGAINST PAKISTAN...!!! 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/z0p9B5Lzyc

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 28, 2025

But the three quality spinners of the Indian side, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel, picked up eight wickets between them while Jasprit Bumrah countered with two wickets in the second innings. However, with the bat, India found themselves under tremendous pressure with 20 runs on the board for the loss of three wickets in four overs.

Tilak Verma remained undefeated for 69 runs in 53 balls at a strike rate of 130.19 with the help of three fours and four sixes, while Shivam Dube clubbed 33 runs in 22 balls with two fours and as many sixes to complete the chase by five wickets with two balls to spare.

A heartwarming video has gone viral showing an Indian army officer playing cricket with the locals in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district. The video has won several hearts online, as the clip has been shared many times on social media. It shows an officer from the 44 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), a unit known for counter-insurgency operations in the region.

The officer was batting against a fast bowler on a makeshift field. It has drawn crazy attention and praises from the neighbors, many of whom have lauded the Army for engaging with civilians. Seeing the youth play cricket with the Indian Army could be another start in the chapter, as everyone aims to build for progress, peace, and the way forward.

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This isn’t the first time that the Indian Army has used this sport to connect with the people of Kashmir. Three weeks ago, the force had also organized the 11th edition of the Chinar Premier League at the Bipin Rawat Stadium in Baramulla, which is named after India’s first Chief of Defense Staff.

Watch: Indian army soldiers play cricket with locals in south Kashmir

The Chinar league shows 64 sides across the Kashmir Valley, as the main aim of the event is to provide opportunities to the young players to showcase their talent and advance them to the big leagues. There is a long-standing connection between the Indian Army and the Indian cricket team.

Indian Army soldiers playing cricket with local Kashmiris in Shopian of South Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/7OZKGufKe0

— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) August 18, 2025

The former Indian World Cup-winning captain, MS Dhoni, was awarded the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army in 2011, while the best batter of the game ever, Sachin Tendulkar, was honoured as the Group Captain in the Indian Air Force.

Another former captain and the World Cup-winning leader, Kapil Dev, was honoured with the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Territorial Arm in 2008, as he constantly supported the armed forces and participated in military-related works. India’s first Test captain, CK Nayudu, had a special place in the Indian military service as he was appointed a Colonel in the Holkar Army.

The highly anticipated IPL 2025 Final between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Narendra Modi Stadium got under way with a rousing and emotional tribute to the Indian Armed Forces. The ceremonious opening ceremony, brimming with emotion and patriotism, started on a somber yet resounding note ahead of the high-voltage cricketing action.

Renowned singer and composer Shankar Mahadevan was the lead performer for the tribute and wowed the immense audience with a host of patriotic songs. His memorable performance captured the hearts of fans around the world when the audience spontaneously applauded on their feet, and you could feel the people feeling reverence and unity in the stands. And then, to make the musical tribute even more special, Mahadevan was joined by his two sons, Siddharth and Shivam Mahadevan, in a generational performance in honor of our nation’s selfless defenders.

Adding to the poignancy, veteran cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle Harsha Bhogle addressed the audience in his wonderful and emotional style. Bhogle spoke about the Armed Forces and their obligations of selfless service, sacrifice, and a lifetime of steadfast resolve to our warriors. Whereas Bhogle talked, there was a pre-recorded emotional montage that had run of the Indian Army and their sacrifice and dedication to India had covered the big screen; it was a surreal visual for most in the crowd, and you could see the crowd collectively moved.

A Night to Remember

The powerful tribute reached a climax as the Indian tricolor was unfurled to chants of “Jai Hind,” marked by a dazzling choreographed performance by a troupe of dancers attired in theme costumes. Their elegant yet high-spirited movements captured the essence of oneness and sacrifice, hailing the true heroes who stand sentinel over the country's sovereignty.

Watch the video here

Lighting up the #Final with an enthusiastic Tribute Ceremony 🇮🇳#TATAIPL | #RCBvPBKS | #Final | #TheLastMile pic.twitter.com/b0WptvNnIO

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) June 3, 2025

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When the tribute was complete, the celebration ascended to a higher level with exciting performances of Bollywood stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Disha Patani, Varun Dhawan and Shreya Ghoshal, Karan Aujla, and others. Their electric performances lit the stadium aglow, all the while presenting glamour and gratitude and remembering this moment of the IPL and the ability to present Bollywood, sport, and acknowledgments of our armed forces in the same night in the same spectacular moment.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) plans to pay tribute to the Indian Armed Forces during the IPL 2025 final because of the world's trying times we have found out about in India due to the geopolitical tension. Earlier this month, on account of ongoing cross-border action with Pakistan, caused the BCCI to suspend IPL 2025 for 10 days. This cross-border action resulted in a full-scale missile attack in northern India. The Indian Armed Forces responded remarkably, leaving them deeply admired for their skillful and resilient counteraction that the country even shared.

Through the resume of the IPL 2025 season, some stadiums have already proudly paid homage to the Armed Forces as a thoughtful thank you for allowing the event to continue. Last week, during a well-publicized match between the Mumbai Indians and the Delhi Capitals, the Wankhede Stadium respectably echoed the famous words ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ to honor the Army. It seemed most patrons enjoyed their salute to the Army. On May 9, the day after the BCCI abruptly halted the tournament due to serious security concerns, past BCCI secretary and ICC chairman Jay Shah shared a social media post reflecting on the courage of the Indian Army and pledging his respect for their attempts to deter the security crisis.

The IPL 2025 season is now entering its playoffs after yet another opportunity for cricket fans to come together to support our Armed Forces. The knockouts will kick off with the 1st qualifier in Mullanpur on May 29 and pave the way for an emotional ending to the roster of tournaments.

IPL 2025 Closing Ceremony Dedicated to the Armed Forces

According to Sportstar, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia just shared that the IPL 2025 closing ceremony will be dedicated to the Indian Armed Forces. The final will occur at the impressive Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on June 3, and it will be a fitting tribute to our homeland heroes.

🚨 BCCI SECRETARY CONFIRMS IPL 2025 CLOSING CEREMONY WILL BE DEDICATED TO INDIAN ARMED FORCES 🚨

- Such a Beautiful gesture by BCCI. 🫡🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/rgsolUrP3S

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) May 26, 2025

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This will emphasize the BCCI's concern regarding the Armed Forces and comfort and pledge support to their sacrifices toward the nation while adapting to times of hardship and suffering. The finale of IPL 2025 will not merely be a game of cricket but will also deserve recognition as an opportunity to come together and thank the resolve of the Indian Army and reminisce about the finale of yet another memorable IPL season.