Team India skipper Suryakumar Yadav led from the front as India defeated Pakistan by seven wickets in Dubai in the Asia Cup. More than his batting, it was Surya’s heartfelt words after the match that will remain with fans, as he dedicated the win to the Pahalgam terror attack victims.
Many had opposed India’s participation in this fixture due to the incident where 26 innocent lives were lost in Pahalgam earlier in April. There were calls for a boycott, and questions were raised about the players’ integrity and patriotism.
However, India’s actions on the field sent a message that while they were there to play cricket, they had not forgotten the tragedy. At the toss, Surya notably refrained from shaking hands with Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha.
On his 35th birthday, Surya remained unbeaten on 47 off 37 balls and sealed the chase in style with a six against Sufiyan Muqeem. After that, Surya and Shivam Dube walked back to the dressing room without exchanging pleasantries with the players of the opponent team.
In the post-match presentation, Surya dedicated the victory to India’s armed forces, praising their courage and sacrifice.
“Perfect occasion, taking the time out, we stand by the victims of the families of the Pahalgam terror attack. We express our solidarity. Want to dedicate the win to all our armed forces, who showed a lot of bravery. Hope they continue to inspire us all and we give them more reasons on the ground whenever we get an opportunity to put a smile on their face,” Surya said.
With two consecutive wins, India are sitting comfortably at the top of Group A with four points and a healthy net run rate of +4.793.
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