WTC final players wear armbands for crash victims

London

South African and Australian players wore black armbands and observed a minute of silence before Day 3 of the World Test Championship Final at Lord’s on Friday to honor the victims of the tragic plane crash near Ahmedabad. The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 people including 12 crew members, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon. The aircraft struck a doctors’ hostel in the Meghani area close to the airport perimeter, killing 241 people on board.

Among the passengers were 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. Indian players also paid tribute by wearing black armbands and observing a minute of silence before the start of the intra-squad match in Beckenham. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) posted on their official X handle that players and support staff showed solidarity and respect for the victims and their families.

Flight AI171, commanded by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar, departed Ahmedabad at 1:38 PM IST on runway 23. The aircraft issued a Mayday call shortly after takeoff but lost communication with air traffic control before crashing outside the airport. The tragic accident shocked the cricketing community, who joined in mourning and paying their respects to those affected.