Players and Umpires Honour Ahmedabad Plane Crash Victims at WTC Final 2025, Wear Black Arm Bands

The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final headed to Day 3, but before the proceedings, Australians and South African players wore black armbands while entering the ground, and all players involved in a two-minute silence.

Why Players and Umpires Wear Black Armbands in WTC Final?

On June 12, an Air India Boeing 797 aircraft was scheduled to fly from Ahmedabad, India, to London. The flight carried 242 passengers, but after five minutes of takeoff, the plane crashed near the airport, and except for one man, everyone lost their lives in the horrific incident.

To pay tribute to the people who lost their lives, the cricketing community come together and expresses a symbolic gesture by wearing the black armbands. Players and Umpires wear the black armband. In the fast-paced Test match, this act showcases that lives are bigger than the sport.

Australia’s 10th wicket fight

The WTC final 2025 is a rollercoaster ride for the fans as whenever a team advances, the other team fightback and the story has been going on since day 1 of the Test match.

Proteas bowlers bowled out Australia for just 212 runs and got the early advantage, but the Aussies' bowlers fought back and bundled the Proteas batting line-up for just 138 runs.

It was looking like Aussies got the advantage now, but South African bowlers dismissed seven Australia batters for under 80 runs, but then the fightback came from Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc as both added 61 runs for the eighth wicket, but at the end of day 2, Alex Carey fell.

In the Day 3 morning session, it was looking like the South African batter would wrap up Australia’s innings, but Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are batting for over 12 overs and building a 35 partnership for the last wicket.