IPL 2026: Why Kings XI Punjab wore black armbands against Rajasthan Royals

Players of Kings XI Punjab wear black armbands on the field during the match indian premier league Clash 2026 rajasthan royals Tribute to teammate’s late mother on Tuesday Azmatullah Omarzai.The Afghanistan all-rounder suffered a personal loss earlier this week, with the news of his mother’s death coming on Monday. Although Omarzai is yet to feature in a match this season, he is still part of the Punjab squad and the team’s gesture underlines the sense of unity within the camp.Live score: PBKS vs RR, IPL 2026team unitycaptain punjab Shreyas Iyer Expresses the team’s condolences for the incident and highlights the emotional reasons behind the tributes. “On behalf of the entire team, I would like to express our heartfelt condolences to Azmat and his family on his passing. I am sure we will continue to support him as always,” he said.The gesture was a sign of respect, with players from the XI wearing black armbands as a sign of condolence – a long-standing tradition in sport to pay tribute to the deceased.Support for Omarzai also poured in from the wider cricketing community. Afghanistan players Mohammad Nabi and Karim Janat share heartfelt messages offering prayers and strength to grieving families.Emotional background for high score competitionDespite the tough conditions, Punjab performed strongly with the bat, posting impressive figures of 222/4 in 20 overs. Over the last three rounds, they scored 55 points on the final possession, turning the momentum firmly in their favor.Earlier, the opener provided a brisk start, taking advantage of the shaky lines of Rajasthan’s pace attack. While Jofra Archer tested the batsmen with pace and bounce, the home team took advantage of the death with an exciting cameo to secure a crushing total.Umarzai, 25, is considered a promising all-rounder and played for Gujarat Titans before joining Punjab. He has contributed with both bat and ball during his IPL career and remains an important member of the team.