Heat transport subject to nonlinear thermal radiation has multiple applications in physics, industry, engineering field, and space technology, such as aerodynamic rockets, solar power technology, large open water reservoirs, and gas-cooled nuclear reactors. This effort studies the magnetohydrodynamic flow of cross fluid, which is a type of non-Newtonian, along a heated surface. Furthermore, the transportation of heat in the fluid is induced by thermal radiation. Furthermore, the behavior of opposing/assisting flow and impact of nonuniform heat sink/source is scrutinized. The reserved suitable transformations are carried out to shift the ruling equations into nondimensional class. Through reserved transformations, two nonlinear partial differential equations are altered into corresponding nonlinear ordinary differential equations. Then a scheme of integration referred to as Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg is imposed to get a numerical solution of these. The impact of parameters are mentioned concisely on temperature and velocity profiles in the absence and presence of a magnetic parameter. It is proved that the presence of a magnetic field steps up the velocity and temperature as well.