Virat Kohli and the Indian team play England in the second of the three-match T20I series in Nagpur on Sunday and India won by 5 runs. Indian bowler Jasprit Bumrah kept his nerve to send down a brilliant final over and secure India’s series-levelling five-run victory.
Apart from this spectacular win, Team India players wore black armbands as they stepped into the VCA Stadium in Nagpur for the 2nd T20I against England on Sunday. This draws the attention of viewers. And there is a valid reason for wearing black armbands by the team.
It was a mark of respect to the India U-19 trainer Rajesh Sawant who passed away earlier today and Mohammad Shami’s father.
Indian players wearing a black armband as a mark of respect to Indian U-19 trainer Rajesh Sawant, who was found dead in his hotel room in Mumbai earlier today and Mohammad Shami’s father Tousif Ali. Sawant was even part of the Rest of India side that beat Gujarat in the Irani Cup last week.
Sawant was supposed to report for training ahead of the U-19 side’s first ODI against England on January 30, but didn’t show up. The exact reason of his death will be ascertained only after post-mortem, Deputy Commissioner of Police Manojkumar Sharma said.
On the other hand, speedster Shami’s father Tousif Ali had passed away just two days ago after suffering a heart attack, forcing the cricketer to leave his rehab with the T20 team and rush to Amroha. The pacer’s father had been hospitalized since January 5 when he had first suffered a heart attack.
#TeamIndia is wearing a black armband to condole the sad demise of India U19 trainer Rajesh Sawant and M Shami’s father pic.twitter.com/1XRnXIiTUk
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 29, 2017
The pacer’s brother Mohammed Asif had said that Shami had decided to leave as he felt the Indian team is as important to him as his father is. “Family members asked him to stay, but he replied that India is as much of a father to him and he couldn’t deny that duty either,” he said.