India face off against Australia in the 2nd T20I in their 5-match series on Friday. The two teams took to the field wearing black armbands in Melbourne. The gesture is significant in terms of tribute and respect in cricket.
IND vs AUS 2nd T20I: Why are players wearing black armbands?
Both teams are sporting black armbands in remembrance of Ben Austin. Austin was hit on the neck while batting in the nets and immediately collapsed to the ground. Despite being rushed by emergency services, the 17-year-old budding cricketer succumbed to his wounds. It is a tragic death, eerily similar to the passing of Phil Hughes in 2014.
“The ball hit him in the neck in a similar accident that Phil Hughes suffered ten years ago,” confirmed Cricket Victoria’s chief executive Nick Cummins.
Austin, a promising teenager from Ferntree Gully, was struck on the neck by a ball while training at the Wally Tew Reserve. He was wearing a helmet but not a stem guard, the small but crucial protective flap that covers the back of the neck. He collapsed immediately, and though paramedics rushed him to Monash Children’s Hospital, his injuries proved fatal.
It follows the women’s teams doing the same in the World Cup semi-final on Thursday. Both teams sported black armbands to pay respects to the 17-year-old after his tragic passing.
