Why is Team India wearing black armbands in the Champions Trophy semi-final vs Australia?

Indian team was spotted wearing black arm bands in the IND vs AUS semi final match of the ongoing Champions Trophy. Taking on Australia on March 4, 2025 in the playoffs of the CT25 Season in Dubai the men in blue entered on the field with black bands on their hands. 

Team wore black bands to mourn for the loss of great Cricketer Padmakar Shivalkar who passed away at the age of 84 on Monday. He is the second Stelwart from Mumbai who passed after the loss of Milind Rege. 

Who is Padmakar Shivalkar?

Padmakar Shivalkar was a right-handed batsman who spent over 20 years of his life playing for Bombay. Although the player has not been part of the International squad, his career is nothing short of ordinary. The player who has a record for playing a total of 124 first-class matches, where with an average of 19.69 the stalwart has taken 589 wickets in his favor.

Padmakar Shivalkar’s Cricketing Career

Though Shivalkar never donned an Indian jersey for international career, due to his career conflict with Bishan Bedi. But he still managed to have a great domestic career. His career has gone almost unnoticed till the player was honored with the prestigious Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017. He was also an integral part of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy team, winning ten titles between 1965-66 and 1976-77.

Padmakar Shivalkar Prayers and Tributes

Tributes Pour In as India Mourns Padmakar Shivalkar. BCCI has expressed grief over his demise, and Sunil Gavaskar, a former teammate, expressed his grief at the loss of a friend.

This is very sad news indeed. Within a short time, Mumbai cricket has lost two of its stalwarts, Milind and now Padmakar, who were the architects of many a victory,’ he stated in an interview. 

One of my regrets as India captain is not being able to convince the national selectors to include ‘Paddy’ in the Test team. He deserved the India cap far more than some others who got it. That’s fate,’ he also added. 

Beside BCCI and Sunil Gavaskar, the whole of Cricket Fraternity mourns over the loss of cricketing legend and were seen with bands to show their tribute and prayers to the departed soul.

The Mumbai Cricket Association has also expressed their thoughts in an X (formerly Twitter) post on their official profile, sending condolences to the star’s family that was left behind.