Asia Cup 2025: After Suryakumar Yadav, Pakistan skipper Salman Agha also donates match fee to 'Operation Sindoor victims'

Following the Indian team's clinching of the Asia Cup 2025 by defeating Pakistan in Dubai on September 28, captain Suryakumar Yadav pledged his tournament match fee to the armed forces and victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha followed suit as he too announced that his team would donate their earnings from the final to civilians and children affected during India’s Operation Sindoor.

The build-up and aftermath of the final were heavily influenced by the hightened

tensions between India and Pakistan. Earlier this year, a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, claimed 26 lives, triggering India to launch Operation Sindoor targeting terror camps across the border. The Pakistani captain, during the post-match press conference, announced that he would donate the match fees.

“As a team, we have decided to donate our match fees to the civilians and children affected by India’s attack,” Agha said at the post-match press conference.

They are disrespecting cricket: Salman Agha

Meanwhile, the Men in Blue lifted their ninth Asia Cup title after a five-wicket win, courtesy of Kuldeep Yadav’s four-wicket haul and a match-winning 69* from Tilak Varma. But instead of the post-match ceremony celebrating India’s unbeaten campaign, it was affected by a series of controversies as the Indian players declined to accept the trophy from Pakistan Cricket Board's chief, Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief and Pakistan’s Interior Minister.

The donation announcement was not the only strong statement from the Pakistan captain. Agha openly criticized India’s refusal to accept the trophy from Naqvi, calling it disappointing and disrespectful to cricket.

"What happened in this tournament? I think it is very disappointing. If you look at it, they feel that by not shaking hands, they are disrespecting us but in fact they are disrespecting cricket. And anyone who disrespects cricket, I think it comes back, and I am very sure that it will happen," he said.

The presentation ceremony itself was delayed by over an hour, and eventually, the ACC announced that the Indian team would not collect their awards from Naqvi. The PCB chief was later seen leaving with the trophy.