Asia Cup 2025: ICC warns Suryakumar Yadav over political remarks amid India-Pakistan tensions

India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has been formally cautioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to avoid political statements, following a complaint from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). 

The issue stemmed from India’s group-stage win over Pakistan on September 14, when Yadav, during his post-match press conference, dedicated the victory to the Indian Armed Forces involved in Operation Sindoor and expressed solidarity with the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.

The PCB specifically took issue with Yadav’s mention of Operation Sindoor—the name given by the Indian government to its military response following the April Pahalgam attack—arguing that the tribute carried political connotations. Yadav appeared before match referee Richie Richardson and pleaded not guilty. The ICC has now advised him against making similar comments in the future.

On the cricketing front, India had already secured a place in the Asia Cup final after defeating Bangladesh in their Super 4 match on September 24. Pakistan followed with a victory over the same opponents the next day, setting up a third meeting between the arch-rivals in the final. With controversies surrounding both teams, all attention now turns to how the players manage to stay focused on cricket ahead of the eagerly awaited final.