The gesture was a sign of respect, with the Punjab Kings players wearing black armbands as a sign of mourning. (Photo credit: IPL) Punjab Kings players took to the field wearing black armbands during their Indian Premier League 2026 clash against Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday, paying tribute to teammate Azmatullah Omarzai’s late mother.The Afghan all-rounder suffered a personal loss earlier this week when news of his mother’s death broke on Monday. Although Omarzai is yet to feature in a match this season, he remains part of the Punjab squad and the franchise’s gesture underlined the sense of unity in the camp.Current Score: PBKS vs RR, IPL 2026
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Virat Kohli opens his childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma’s new academyThe team is unitedPunjab captain Shreyas Iyer expressed his condolences to the team at the draw and highlighted the emotional reason behind the honour. “On behalf of the entire team, I just want to share our sincere condolences to Azmat and his family for his loss. I am sure we are there to support him in everything we do,” he said.The gesture was a sign of respect, with players across the eleven wearing black armbands as a sign of mourning – a long-standing tradition in the sport to honor the deceased.Support for Omarzai also poured in from the wider cricketing fraternity. Afghanistan players Mohammad Nabi and Karim Janat shared a heartfelt message and offered prayers and strength to the bereaved family.The emotional background of a high-scoring contestDespite the gloomy context, Punjab put in a strong performance with the bat, posting an impressive 222/4 in their 20 overs. A late onslaught that saw 55 runs from the last three overs shifted the momentum firmly in their favour.Earlier, the openers provided a brisk start and took advantage of inconsistent lines from Rajasthan’s pace attack. As Jofra Archer tested the batsmen with pace and bounce, the hosts capitalized at the death, with a blistering cameo to ensure a formidable total.Omarzai, 25, is considered a promising all-rounder who previously represented Gujarat Titans before joining Punjab. He has contributed with both bat and ball throughout his IPL career and remains a valued member of the team.
