Revealed: Reason behind India sporting black armbands during IND vs AUS semi-final clash at ICC Champions Trophy 2025

The first semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy, IND vs AUS, is underway in Dubai.

The first semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 between India and Australia is underway at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, March 4.

Australia captain Steve Smith won the toss and chose to bat first, citing that the pitch will assist spinners as the game progresses. Rohit Sharma, on the other hand, admitted he was in two minds and didn’t mind losing the toss.

The Aussies made two changes to their lineup, with youngster Cooper Connolly replacing Matthew Short and Tanveer Sangha coming in for Spencer Johnson, while India retained the same playing XI as in their game against New Zealand.

The Indian players walked out at the Dubai Stadium wearing black armbands, which left the fans confused. The BCCI has now revealed the real reason behind the gesture.

Reason behind India sporting black armbands during IND vs AUS semi-final clash at ICC Champions Trophy 2025

The BCCI confirmed that the Indian cricketers wore black armbands on Tuesday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium to honour legendary spinner Padmakar Shivalkar, who passed away on Monday, March 3.

In honour of the late Shri Padmakar Shivalkar, Team India is wearing black armbands today.

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 4, 2025

“Indian cricket has lost a true legend today. Padmakar Shivalkar’s mastery over left-arm spin and his deep understanding of the game made him a revered figure in domestic cricket.” BCCI President Mr Roger Binny said on passing away of the former Indian cricketer.

He added, “His exceptional career and selfless contribution to Mumbai and Indian Cricket will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”

Teams:

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy.

Australia: Travis Head, Copper Connolly, Steve Smith (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa and Tanveer Sangha.

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