Champions Trophy: Indian Team Pays Tribute to Padmakar Shivalkar with Black Armbands
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Synopsis
The Indian cricket team, led by Rohit Sharma, wore black armbands in the ICC Champions Trophy semifinal against Australia to honor the late Padmakar Shivalkar, a legendary cricketer who passed away at 84. Shivalkar was a significant figure in domestic cricket and left an indelible mark on the game.
Key Takeaways
- Indian team wore black armbands in tribute.
- Padmakar Shivalkar passed away aged 84.
- Shivalkar was a domestic cricket legend.
- He had a remarkable Ranji Trophy career.
- BCCI honored him with a lifetime achievement award.
Dubai, March 4 (NationPress) The Indian team, captained by Rohit Sharma, donned black armbands during their semifinal match in the ICC Champions Trophy against Australia on Tuesday to pay tribute to the late left-arm spinner Padmakar Shivalkar, who passed away on Monday at the age of 84.
The BCCI announced on X, "In honour of the late Shri Padmakar Shivalkar, Team India is wearing black armbands today."
Shivalkar was a prominent figure in Indian domestic cricket, celebrated for his exceptional talent and commitment to the sport.
A formidable competitor in the Ranji Trophy, Shivalkar participated in 124 first-class matches, securing an impressive total of 589 wickets with an outstanding average of 19.69. He delivered one of the most remarkable performances in Ranji Trophy history, achieving figures of 8 for 16 and 5 for 18 in the 1972–73 final, propelling Mumbai (then Bombay) to a significant victory over Tamil Nadu.
Even though he never had the opportunity to represent India internationally, as his career coincided with that of cricket legend Bishan Singh Bedi, Shivalkar’s significant contributions to Indian cricket were acknowledged when he received the Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award from the Board in 2017.
In the match, Australia won the toss and chose to bat first at the Dubai International Stadium. Steve Smith made two alterations to the playing eleven, bringing in Cooper Connolly for Matthew Short and Tanveer Sangha for Spencer Johnson.
Conversely, India maintained the same lineup for this crucial match, opting for four spinners. They entered the knockout stage undefeated in Group A, having triumphed over Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand.
Rohit remarked at the toss, "We've played good cricket in all three games, and that's what we'll aim to do now. It's going to be challenging. The slower bowlers have played a significant role, which is why we wanted the same team. We played a couple of days ago here and want to build on that. Now that we're bowling first, we need to perform well and restrict them as much as possible."
