During tonight’s high-voltage IPL 2025 clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians, cricket will pause for a moment of solemn remembrance. In a powerful gesture of unity and grief, players and match officials will wear black armbands in memory of those who lost their lives in the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The BCCI will also observe a minute of silence before the game at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
The silence will be profound in more ways than one. As reported by news agency PTI, the IPL has chosen to forego its usual fanfare — there will be no cheerleaders energizing the sidelines and no fireworks lighting up the night sky. The league’s decision underscores the depth of sorrow felt across the nation.
“The players of two teams will wear black armbands and observe a minute’s silence in memory of all those who lost their lives in the terrorist attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam,” a BCCI source revealed to PTI. “As a mark of respect there would be no cheerleaders on the sidelines of MI vs SRH game. No crackers will be burst,” the source added.
The attack, which shook the valley on Tuesday, claimed the lives of at least 26 tourists when gunmen opened fire on civilians. In the wake of the violence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately returned from his trip to Saudi Arabia to convene a high-level meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and other senior officials. Addressing the nation’s anguish, Modi declared that the perpetrators of “this heinous act will be brought to justice and will not be spared.”
The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba co-founded by Hafiz Saeed, has claimed responsibility for the killings — a move that has only intensified global condemnation and domestic fury.
Upon his return, Modi was briefed on the incident, which has triggered a nationwide outpouring of grief. For the first time in 35 years, the Kashmir Valley observed a shutdown in protest against a terror attack, with people across communities supporting the bandh call.
The government of Jammu and Kashmir has announced financial relief for the victims: ₹10 lakh for the families of the deceased, ₹2 lakh for the seriously injured, and ₹1 lakh for those with minor injuries.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has also curtailed her official visit to the United States in response to the tragedy, reinforcing the government’s commitment to addressing the situation on the ground.
Tonight’s IPL game will be played under a shadow of mourning, as a sport that often brings joy and distraction becomes a platform to reflect a nation’s collective grief and resilience.
