The Asia Cup 2025 has been full of drama both on and off the field. One of the biggest controversies came after India’s group-stage win over Pakistan.
In the post match ceremony after winning the match, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav dedicated the victory to victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.
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What looked like an emotional tribute soon took a sharp turn, as it attracted a fine from the ICC and a complaint from the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Now, ex-India cricketer Atul Wassan has stirred the pot further, saying Surya was “obliged” to make that statement.
Why did Atul Wassan call Suryakumar’s tribute ‘tokenism’?
Speaking ahead of the India-Pakistan final in Dubai, Wassan shared his blunt opinion in a TV interview.
He claimed that Suryakumar’s post-match remarks were not just about personal feelings but also shaped by expectation and optics.
He compared the gesture to similar acts made by Pakistani players in the same tournament, arguing that both sides were under pressure to show symbolic solidarity.
"In India, if I say that the match should continue because the government has allowed it, everybody is coming after me, but that doesn't make me less of a patriot. If I don't mention Pahalgam, that doesn't make me less of a patriot. I am against these optics and tokenism," Wassan said.
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"If he hadn't said it, he would still be a patriot, because it's given that we are all there. But this is the kind of eyeballs and tokenism that people expected, and it acted like a balm, and lapped it up. But he was obliged to say it, just like they were obliged to do that," he added.
What was the ICC and PCB reaction to Suryakumar’s words?
The Pakistan Cricket Board filed an official complaint, calling Surya’s statement political in nature. They even asked ICC to treat it as a serious breach under Level 4 sanctions.
Eventually, the Indian captain was fined 30% of his match fee after pleading not guilty, a verdict confirmed by match referee Richie Richardson.
The BCCI has already appealed against the punishment, standing firmly behind their captain.
The matter has added extra heat to what is already the biggest clash of the tournament. Suryakumar’s refusal to back down from his stance, and the reactions it has triggered, mean the final is not just about cricket anymore.
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