Asia Cup 2025: 'Real trophy is hard work of support staff coming to fruition' - Suryakumar Yadav's latest statement on trophygate saga

The Indian team won the Asia Cup 2025 by thumping Pakistan in a last-over thriller of the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, September 28. While the win sounded sweet and cherished, the team India not getting the hold of the trophy caught the fire of controversy, as the Asian Cricket Council chairperson Mohsin Naqvi allegedly ran away with the silverware and the medal for the winning side.

Meanwhile, the Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav has said that it does not matter whether his team got the trophy, but what is more important is that the team won the hearts of the nation and earned their trust. He also mentioned the hard yards put in by the support staff and people working behind the scenes, and their hard work coming to fruition means much more than a silverware to them.

"I won't call it controversy. If you have seen, the players have posted photos of the trophy here and there. But the real trophy is when you win the hearts of people, the players, the trust you earn, the support staff, the trust they have shown, the people who work behind the scenes, that is the real trophy. The real trophy is the work and effort of so many people on the field," Suryakumar was quoted as saying.

The summit clash was won on the back of emphatic performances, especially by Tilak Varma, Kuldeep Yadav and Shivam Dube, who contributed across departments to clinch the record-extending ninth title for the Men in Blue in the continental competition. This was also their second triumph in the T20 version of the tournament, having won their first in the inaugural 2016 season.

It was a bit of pressure, but I wanted to stay at the wicket and finish games. they were mixing up the pace. I wanted to just stay calm and finish the game for my country. It was a fantastic knock by Samson, it was really important for the team. The way Dube batted was also helpful for me and the country. Credit goes to both of them as well. Wwe have prepared for every position. Gauti bhai said to be flexible in every position. I was prepared to bat anywhere and I was backing on my game.

Next up, the Indian team will return to playing the traditional format of the game, starting with the two-match Test series against the West Indies at home. The first match will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, followed by the second and last at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The Indian team has already announced the squad for the series, led by Shubman Gill, while Ravindra Jadeja has been made his deputy.