Team India skipper Suryakumar Yadav dedicated the dominating seven-wicket win over Pakistan to the brave armed forces of the country. The Men in Blue were at their absolute best to craft a stunning performance to outplay the opposition completely at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, September 14.
After a rather subdued build-up to the contest, Team India were all business on the field as they assumed command of the proceedings from the get-go. The bowling unit picked up from where they left off against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to leave Pakistan in all sorts of trouble.
The Men in Blue were successfully able to restrict Pakistan to a modest total of 127-7, and managed to chase it down without any hiccups. A flashy start by Abhishek Sharma, followed up by an unbeaten 47 by Suryakumar Yadav ensured that India registered their second successive win in the tournament.
During the post-match presentation, Suryakumar Yadav acknowledged the work put in by the armed forces, and dedicated the win to them.
“Perfect occasion, taking the time out, we stand by the victims of the families of the Pahalgam terror attack. We express our solidarity. We want to dedicate this win to all our armed forces who have shown great 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,” Suryakumar Yadav said after the match.
Team India refused to shake hands with the Pakistan players following the end of the contest. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav had also not acknowledged Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha during the toss ahead of the match.
“For me and my boys, it’s just another game” – Suryakumar Yadav downplays the occasion following win against Pakistan in Asia Cup 2025
Team India continues to cruise under Suryakumar Yadav’s regime in the shortest format. The skipper outlined that the clash was Pakistan was just another game in the build up to the T20 World Cup, and stated that the preparation was the same, much like the rest of the matches so far.
“For me and my boys, it’s just another game. We come on the ground and prepare same for all the opposition,” the Indian captain said.
He also opened up about the spin-heavy formula that the team have adopted in the tournament so far. The bowling combination, coupled with the focus on batting depth, has kept Arshdeep Singh out of the playing XI. They went into the clash against Pakistan with an unchanged team.
“That’s what happened in the Champions Trophy. That set the tone. And I am a big fan of having spinners. They control the game well,” he added.
Team India will face Oman in their final Asia Cup 2025 group stage match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday, September 19.
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Edited by Gokul Nair
