NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was quick to congratulate India after their thrilling five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup final on Sunday night. His congratulatory message also made a reference to Operation Sindoor, emphasising that regardless of the field, India emerged victorious everywhere against Pakistan.

Reacting to PM Modi's post, India captain Suryakumar Yadav expressed his happiness, saying it boosts the players' morale when they have the backing of the country's leader.

"It feels good when the country's leader himself bats on the front foot; it felt like he took the strike and scored runs. It was great to see, and when the sir is standing in front, then definitely the players will play freely," Surya said while speaking to ANI.

"The most important thing is that the whole country is celebrating. When we go back (to India), it will feel good, and we will get more inspiration and motivation to do well."

"#OperationSindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same - India wins! Congrats to our cricketers," Modi posted on X soon after India's victory in Dubai on Sunday.

Pakistan had created a false narrative claiming victory in the military conflict following the Pahalgam terror attack in April, which tragically claimed the lives of 26 innocent Indian tourists.

PM Modi's tweet not only celebrated India's Asia Cup triumph but also sent a strong message debunking Pakistan's claims: whether on the cricket field or through Operation Sindoor, the outcome remains the same - India prevails.

The victory celebrations took an unexpected turn during the trophy presentation, as the Indian players chose not to accept the silverware from ACC chief and PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

In a rare sight, Naqvi walked away from the podium with the trophy still in hand, leaving the champions without the traditional handover moment.

Reacting to the unusual episode, Suryakumar shared his take on the incident.

"I won't call it controversy. If you have seen, people have posted photos of 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," Surya stated.