The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced significant changes for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Mumbai Indians (MI), following the recent terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Players and umpires will wear black armbands to mourn the victims of the attack during the match, which will be played at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
On Tuesday, terrorists opened fire at the Baisaran meadows near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, killing at least 28 people, most of them tourists, and injuring several others. The Resistance Front (TRF), a frontal group of Pakistan-backed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the attack. This is being seen as the deadliest assault in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike. Victims had come from various parts of India to enjoy their vacations.
BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla condemned the attack in the strongest terms and announced changes for the match. "For today's IPL match, we will not play DJ music, there will be no fireworks and there will be no cheerleaders. The players will wear black armbands to protest and express their condolences for the deceased. Everyone will come together to hold a mourning session and observe a moment of silence," Shukla said.
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"This is a very tragic incident and no amount of condemnation is enough. Attacking innocent tourists and killing them is an extremely sorrowful event. The entire country stands united in this matter. The 1.40 billion people of the country are united, all demanding strict action. There is no discrimination or division in anyone's mind," he added.
The game is also crucial in terms of IPL standings. SRH, led by Pat Cummins, have managed only two wins in seven outings. The team has struggled with inconsistency, especially in batting, and their bowling unit has not been effective either. As a result, they are placed in the bottom half of the table.
On the other side, Mumbai Indians, captained by Hardik Pandya, have regained momentum with three straight wins. Their latest was a commanding nine-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings, chasing down 180 runs with over four overs to spare. The win has placed MI firmly back in the race for playoffs and they will look to continue their good form.