India captain Suryakumar Yadav was punished by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for making political statements in the Asia Cup 2025 group stage match against Pakistan on September 14 at the Dubai International Stadium. The right-handed batter dedicated India's victory to the Indian Armed Forces, saying his team stood in solidarity with the Pahalgam terror attack victims. The group stage match between the two teams was played amid a highly political atmosphere, and there were several calls in India asking for the game to be boycotted.
According to reports, the India captain has been fined 30 per cent of his match fees due to his recent post-match comments. His comments reportedly violate ICC's Level 1 Code of Conduct.
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No handshakes were seen between the India and Pakistan players during the match, which led to a huge controversy. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sent an email to the International Cricket Council (ICC). Initially, the emails were about Andy Pycroft; however, soon, the PCB lodged a complaint against Suryakumar and him for making political statements.
Richie Richardson, another match referee for the Asia Cup, held an official hearing on Thursday, September 25, and it was attended by Suryakumar, along with BCCI CEO Hemang Amin and the team’s cricket operations manager, Sumeet Mallapurkar. According to the Indian Express, Suryakumar pleaded "not guilty" at the hearing.
{{/usCountry}}Richie Richardson, another match referee for the Asia Cup, held an official hearing on Thursday, September 25, and it was attended by Suryakumar, along with BCCI CEO Hemang Amin and the team’s cricket operations manager, Sumeet Mallapurkar. According to the Indian Express, Suryakumar pleaded "not guilty" at the hearing.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier this year, a ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, resulted in the loss of 26 lives. India then launched Operation Sindoor, attacking terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Following this, both countries launched strikes at each other for three days before the suspension of hostilities.
What did Suryakumar say?
After the win against Pakistan on September 14, Suryakumar dedicated the win to the Indian Armed Forces, saying his team recognises the bravery they express every day.
"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,” he said.