ENG vs IND: Why are England and Indian players are wearing black armbands in first Test?

A new era of Indian cricket starts today, June 20, as the first match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy is played at the historic Headingley Cricket Stadium in Leeds. The England cricket team is welcoming India for the opening match of a high-interest five-Test series. This series not only carries historical but also a reflective moment of unity and grief.

Players from both sides took to the field wearing black armbands in memory of the victims of a catastrophe that rocked both countries. The action is a tribute to the lives lost in the horrific Air India airplane crash in Ahmedabad on the 12th of June. It is an acknowledgment that despite the divisions of sport, there is a common humanity that transcends nationalities.

The aircraft, Air India AI 171, was flying from Ahmedabad to London's Gatwick Airport when it crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Out of the 242 individuals on board, 241 died in the crash. Destruction on the ground was also caused, including injuries and fatalities at Ahmedabad's BJ Medical College.

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Tribute for the Victims of the Ahmedabad Crash

Among those who lost their lives were 159 Indian nationals, 53 individuals from the United Kingdom, seven from Portugal, and one from Canada. Miraculously, there was one survivor—a British national. The tragedy has shaken families across continents, and the cricketing world has participated in remembering and offering support.

"Both teams will wear black armbands today as a mark of respect for those who lost their lives in the Air India plane crash. Our thoughts are with all those affected by the terrible events that took place in Ahmedabad last week," said the England Cricket Board in a heartfelt statement.

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