The Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team donned black armbands during their ICC Champions Trophy semifinal clash against Australia on Tuesday as a tribute to legendary left-arm spinner Padmakar Shivalkar, who passed away on Monday at the age of 84.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed this gesture of respect through a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “In honour of the late Shri Padmakar Shivalkar, Team India is wearing black armbands today.”
Shivalkar was a giant in Indian domestic cricket, widely recognized for his extraordinary skill and commitment to the sport.
He was a dominant force in the Ranji Trophy, India’s premier domestic first-class competition, where he played a total of 124 matches, claiming a remarkable 589 wickets at a phenomenal average of 19.69. His career included some legendary performances, most notably his stunning spell in the 1972-73 Ranji Trophy final. In that match, he delivered a match-winning performance, securing figures of 8 for 16 and 5 for 18, guiding Mumbai (then Bombay) to a convincing victory over Tamil Nadu.
Although Shivalkar never had the opportunity to represent India at the international level, largely because his career coincided with that of another left-arm spin great, Bishan Singh Bedi, his contributions to Indian cricket were profound. His excellence and service to the sport were officially acknowledged when he was bestowed with the prestigious Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award by the BCCI in 2017.
Match Update
As for the match, Australia won the toss and opted to bat first at the Dubai International Stadium. Australian captain Steve Smith made two changes to his playing XI, bringing in Cooper Connolly in place of Matthew Short and including Tanveer Sangha at the expense of Spencer Johnson.
India, on the other hand, decided to go into the crucial knockout match with an unchanged lineup, continuing with their four-spinner strategy. The Indian team had displayed an impressive run in the Group A stage, remaining undefeated with commanding victories over Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand.
Speaking at the toss, Indian captain Rohit Sharma emphasized the team’s confidence and approach, stating, “We’ve played good cricket in all three games, and that’s what we’ll look to do now. It’s going to be challenging. The slower bowlers have come into play a lot, which is why we wanted to keep the same team. We played a couple of days back here, and we want to continue from where we left off. Now that we are bowling first, we have to bowl well and try and restrict them to as low a total as possible.”
With the stakes high and a spot in the final on the line, both teams were ready to put forth their best performances in what promised to be an intense contest.
