Indian cricket team played like warriors, says Yadav on Asia Cup win

Indore, Sep 29 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday lauded the Indian cricket team for winning the Asia Cup, saying the cricketers played like warriors in the crucial final match against Pakistan.

Yadav also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership with regard to "Operation Sindoor", the Indian Army's military operation to destroy terror infrastructure in the neighbouring country on May 7 in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack.

India won the Asia Cup for the ninth time on Sunday, defeating Pakistan by five wickets in a high-intensity final match played in Dubai.

Following India's victory, PM Modi, in a post on X, said, "Operation Sindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same - India wins! Congrats to our cricketers." Talking to reporters here, Yadav said, "The Indian cricketers played like warriors (in the Asia Cup final). This is India of changing times." He said, "The prime minister has rightly described the title win. India has defeated Pakistan on the cricket field after Operation Sindoor." The chief minister also praised the Indian team's refusal to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Pakistan's Home Minister and Asian Cricket Council president Mohsin Naqvi and captain Suryakumar Yadav's announcement of donating his entire match fee to the Indian Armed Forces and victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.

"I would also like to congratulate our players who have pledged to donate their entire match fee to the Army's development. They even refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi. We have seen the rest. Our players don't even believe in making eye contact with them (Pakistani players), let alone shaking hands with them," he said. PTI HWP MAS ARU