Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav, who led his country to the title on Sunday, courted captions with a heartwarming announcement. The commander declared that he'd be giving his Asia Cup match fees to the Indian Armed Forces and families of the Pahalgam terror attack victims.

“I have decided to Suryakumar Yadav donation my match fees from this tournament to the donation to armed forces and the families of the victims who lost their lives in the Pahalgam terror attack. You always remain in my thoughts,” Yadav posted on his social media handles.

The Indian skipper made sure that he made his point loud and clear throughout the duration of the tournament. Yadav refused to shake hands with Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha thrice in the tournament including in the final. After India’s group-stage triumph over Pakistan, he had said: “This is the perfect occasion to take the time out and say that we stand by the families of the Pahalgam terror attack victims. We express our solidarity and dedicate this win to our Armed Forces who displayed extraordinary courage. We hope to keep Suryakumar Yadav charity and give them more reasons to smile through our performances on the field.”

The Asia Cup meant a little extra for the Men in Blue, as it was their first encounter against Pakistan since the ghastly Pahalgam terror attacks that took place in April. India also launched a retaliatory strike across the border in May, following the incident. The country made sure to register a statement by beating Pakistan in all the three matches they played.

The trophy row only added to the drama in the end. Yadav, who spoke to the media after the final match, said: “I have never seen a champion team not receive a trophy. We deserved it.