IPL 2025: Players to wear black armbands to pay homage to Pahalgam attack victims

The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) will be paying tribute to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack during Match 41 of the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025) between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Mumbai Indians (MI) on Wednesday, April 23 at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. The tragic incident, which took the lives of 26 people, including two foreign nationals, has sent shockwaves throughout the country.

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In memory of the victims, players and umpires will be wearing black armbands and will also stand for a minute of silence before the match, India Today has learnt. Moreover, no cheerleaders will be present on the ground as austerity measures will be maintained throughout the game.

The attack on the innocent tourists has received widespread condemnation from top world leaders, and several Indian cricketers have also expressed their solidarity with the families of the victims. Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul and Shubman Gill have condemned the attack through their social media accounts.

It’s not the first time that the BCCI is standing in solidarity with the victims of a terrorist attack, as back in 2019, the cricketing body decided not to hold the opening ceremony for the IPL’s 12th season in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack. The officials instead decided to donate the money for the welfare of the victims' families.

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The Indian Cricket Team also wore camouflage caps during the third ODI vs Australia in March 2019 to honour the members of the army who lost their lives in the incident. The same year, legendary India wicketkeeper batter MS Dhoni also used gloves with Army Insignia during the ODI World Cup.

However, he had to stop wearing them, following intervention by the ICC (International Cricket Council). Hence, the Indian sporting fraternity has time and again stood with the nation in times of distress and is once again showing their solidarity through their gestures.

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