Players In England Wear Black Armbands, Observe Minute’s Silence For Ahmedabad Plane Crash Victims

The Indian, Australian, and South African cricket teams across various venues in England wore black armbands and observed a minute’s silence in memory of the victims of the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad.

Ahead of their intra-squad match in Beckenham on Friday, the Indian team paid tribute by observing a minute’s silence and wearing black armbands.

“The players and members of the support staff involved in the intra-squad game in Beckenham are wearing black armbands,” the BCCI said in a post on X.

“A minute’s silence was also observed today to pay homage to the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash, as a mark of respect for the lives lost and solidarity with the affected families.”

Before the start of play on Day 3 of the ICC World Test Championship Final at Lord’s, players from Australia and South Africa, along with umpires and spectators, also wore black armbands and observed a minute’s silence.

Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden rang the iconic Lord’s bell to pay homage to those who lost their lives in the tragedy.

The London-bound Air India Flight AI-171 crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, killing 241 people. Only one passenger—a British national of Indian origin—survived.

The disaster is being counted among the worst aviation tragedies in India’s history.