India Captain Suryakumar Yadav put sportsmanship on full display in the Asia Cup 2025 opener in Dubai on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, withdrawing an appeal that could have dismissed UAE's Junaid Siddique, proving that fair play sometimes matters more than wickets
The moment came in the 13th over of the UAE innings when Siddique was technically stumped after stepping out of his crease in response to a sharp bouncer from Shivam Dube.
Distracted, Siddique was signalling something to the umpire, and in that brief lapse, wicket-keeper Sanju Samson dislodged the bails and appealed for the dismissal.
The third umpire confirmed that Siddique had not returned to his crease when the stumps were broken, flashing the OUT decision on the big screen.
However, Suryakumar intervened, quietly discussing with the on-field umpire, and moments later, India withdrew the appeal, allowing Siddique to continue his innings.
The rationale behind the decision was clear: Siddique's lapse occurred when Dube's towel slipped from his waistband during his run-up, diverting the batter's attention.
Though India were fully within their rights to uphold the appeal, the captain chose sportsmanship over strict rules.
Siddique's reprieve was short-lived, as Dube dismissed him with another short-pitched delivery in the same over.
The UAE innings quickly collapsed thereafter, bowled out for a mere 57 in 13.1 overs. The star of the show was Kuldeep Yadav, who claimed four wickets -- including a sensational three-wicket over that included the key scalp of UAE Captain Muhammad Waseem, who managed 19 off 22 balls.
© 2025