Mumbai Indians players wore black armbands during their IPL 2026 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 29, 2026, as a mark of respect following the untimely demise of a support staff member's daughter. The franchise issued a statement ahead of the match at Wankhede Stadium, confirming that the gesture was intended to show remembrance and solidarity with the grieving family. The team wore the bands to honour the personal tragedy within the "extended MI family".
MI stated the armbands were for "remembrance and solidarity with the family" following the loss.Out of respect for the grieving family, MI did not release specific details about which staff member was affected or the cause of the death. The tribute took place during a high-stakes "must-win" game for MI, who were struggling at 9th in the standings with only 2 wins from 7 matches. Despite the somber start, Mumbai Indians opener Ryan Rickelton scored the fastest ever century for the franchise (100 off 55 balls), eventually finishing with an unbeaten 123. In the 2025 season, MI and SRH both wore armbands and cancelled cheerleaders to mourn victims of an attack in Jammu & Kashmir.
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PBKS players wearing black armbands against clash with RR
Punjab Kings (PBKS) players wore black armbands during their match against Rajasthan Royals on April 28, 2026, to mourn the loss of all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai’s mother. She passed away on April 27 after a prolonged illness. Upon hearing the news, the Afghan all-rounder took an immediate leave of absence from the PBKS camp to be with his family for the final rites. At the toss, captain Shreyas Iyer expressed the team’s heartfelt condolences, stating they stand by the Afghanistan international "through thick and thin".
The franchise released a statement on social media, noting that the "entire Punjab Kings family stands with him and his loved ones".Afghanistan teammates like Mohammad Nabi and Karim Janat also shared public messages of support for the grieving family. Omarzai, who had been a key part of the PBKS bowling attack, was replaced in the playing XI by Sikandar Raza for that specific game.
