WTC Final: Australia and SA players wear black arm bands, here’s the reason

Australia and South Africa are taking on each other in the ongoing WTC final of the 2023-25 cycle. The game has turned into a thrilling and typical Test match, making both teams equally in the contest. Australia were bundled out at the score of 212 runs in the first innings, before they wrapped the South Africa’s first innings at the score of 138 runs.

The Aussies took the lead by 74 runs at the end of the first innings. However, the Proteas have made a significant comeback in the second innings, scalping 9 wickets of Australia at the score of 170 runs at the time of filling this.

Meanwhile, on the third day of the ongoing WTC final, what attracted eyeballs and caught the attention of the cricket fans across the globe was the Australia and SA players wearing black armbands before the start of play.

Here’s the reason behind Proteas and Aussie players wearing black armbands

The Australia and South Africa players took the field on the game’s third day with the black armbands. It was done to pay homage and mourn the death of 241 people in a devastating plane crash in India’s Ahmedabad. A silence was also observed at the mecca of cricket, Lord’s in respect to the people affected in this tragedy.

The unfortunate incident unfolded on Thursday, June 12, when an Air India Boeing 787 crashed immediately after taking off from the Ahmedabad Airport. The flight was bound for London Gatwick Airport from Ahmedabad. Miraculously, there was only a lone survivor among all 242 people on board this plane.

The game takes an interesting turn

Speaking of the current action, Aussies have taken a lead of 244 runs in the second innings, and the Proteas bowlers are in search of the last wicket to bundle out the reigning champions, before they post a big target in the fourth innings.