IPL 2026: Why RCB, Mumbai Indians players are wearing black armbands - Explained
Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians players wore black armbands to honor the legendary Asha Bhosle, who passed away at 92. Before the highly anticipated clash, a moment of silence was observed. Both teams sought to recover from recent defeats, with Virat Kohli holding a historical edge over Rohit Sharma in their IPL encounters.
NEW DELHI: Fans were eagerly awaiting the mouth-watering IPL 2026 clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. Apart from the high-profile contest, the spotlight was also on the much-anticipated face-off between batting stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, known for their long-standing friendship. When the teams took the field, players from both sides were seen wearing black armbands.
Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya walked out for the toss wearing a black armband and won it, opting to field against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. "We’re going to bowl first. Looks like a good track.
We played the first game on the other pitch, this looks similar. It’s always good to bat second here. I think it’s a big game.
Just want to come out and play our best cricket, do the things we’ve spoken about in the meetings, and just enjoy the sport. We requested good wickets and we’ve been getting them. As long as you land the ball right as a bowler and play the right shots as a batter, you’re in the game," Pandya said during the toss.