New Delhi: K Khiladi Mumbai Indians Spotted wearing black armbands during the IPL 2026 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday, the franchise confirmed the heartfelt reason behind the gesture.In an official statement, Mumbai Indians revealed that support staff members were armbanded following the untimely death of their daughter.Live Score: MI vs SRH, IPL 2026“Due to the untimely death of the daughter of our support staff, Mumbai Indians players will today wear black armbands in remembrance and solidarity with the family,” the franchise was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.The moment added an emotional layer to an otherwise high-stakes IPL 2026, with players united behind the scenes in support of one of their own.Toss decisions and team updatesIn the field, MI captain Hardik Pandya Citing favorable conditions, he won the toss and elected to bat first.“Looks like a nice, breezy day… I don’t think dew will be a factor. We’re just going to bat and see how much we can score,” Hardik said.He also spoke about the team’s recent approach: “It was important to reorganize, not be too complicated… We’ve had good sessions and just want to come out and play our best cricket.”Rohit Sharma Still asideOne of the main talking points has been the absence of Rohit Sharma, who is recovering.“Rohit is going to play a few more games… it’s not where he would like to be, so is not available,” confirmed Hardik, outlining a cautious timeline for a comeback.Opener Quinton de Kock is also ruled out with a wrist problem, with Ryan Rickelton and Robin Munns joining the XI.SRH captain Pete Cummins said he expected a slightly tougher surface.“It can be a little bit of a stretch…just practice the skills and don’t overthink it,” Cummins noted, adding that adapting quickly will be key.
MI vs SRH Playing XIs
- Mumbai Indians XI: Ryan Rickelton (W), Will Jacks, Naman Dhir, Surya Kumar Yadav, Tilak Verma, Hardik Pandya (C), Robin Manns, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar, Ashwini Kumar.
- Sunrisers Hyderabad XI: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Henrik Klaasen, Salil Arora (W), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins (C), Harsh Dubey, Saqib Hussain, Praful Hinge, Ishan Malinga
