Dubai
India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav announced that he will donate his entire match fees from the Asia Cup 2025 to support the Indian armed forces and the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. India won the Asia Cup by defeating Pakistan by five wickets in the final held in Dubai on September 28.
Suryakumar, 35, shared his decision on social media, saying, “You always remain in my thoughts. Jai Hind.” Each Indian player earns Rs 4 lakh per T20 match, so for seven matches in the tournament, Suryakumar’s donation will total Rs 28 lakh.
Throughout the tournament, the Indian team avoided exchanging pleasantries with Pakistan. Suryakumar led this stance, openly paying tribute to the victims and armed forces after India beat Pakistan in the group stage. Pakistan strongly criticized his comments, accusing him of political statements and filed a complaint with the ICC.
The ICC fined Suryakumar 30 percent of his match fee and warned him against political remarks. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has challenged this fine after Suryakumar pleaded not guilty at the ICC hearing last week.
Suryakumar’s gesture has been widely appreciated as a mark of respect and solidarity.