Mumbai Indians players wearing black armband - (Source: ScreenGrab/Hotstar)
On Wednesday, April 29, Mumbai Indians hosted Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium. In the much-awaited clash, the coin flip favoured Hardik Pandya as the MI captain opted to bat first. Interestingly, the star all-rounder had a black armband around his sleeve.
The black armband caught fans’ attention, and they took to social media platforms, seeking answers for their queries. Therefore, this article will shed light on why Mumbai Indians’ players are wearing black armbands against SRH.
Why Are Mumbai Indians' Players Black Armband vs SRH?
Mumbai Indians' players are wearing black armbands to pay respect to their support staff member, who lost his daughter. The franchise paid their respect and condolence to the family during their difficult time.
“Due to the untimely demise of our support staff’s daughter, Mumbai Indians players will wear black arm bands today, in remembrance and solidarity with the family,” the note read from one of MI's insider as quoted by Hindustan Times.
Mumbai Indians decided not to reveal the identity of the support staff.
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Mumbai Indians Make Four Changes vs SRH
Mumbai Indians have got off to one of their worst IPL starts. The Hardik Pandya-led side have won just two matches in their first seven games. Therefore, the ongoing match is a do-or-die for them.
The five-time winners took immediate steps and made four changes to their playing XI. MI brought in Ryan Rickelton, Robin Minz, Trent Boult, and Will Jacks to their side. The changes brought immediate impact as Mumbai Indians are batting on 42/0 after 3.5 overs.
For the unversed, Ryan Rickelton is in because Quinton de Kock has picked up an injury to his wrist, ruling him out for most likley a couple of games. Also, Robin Minz replaces Sherfane Rutherford because MI have brought in Will Jacks to open the innings.
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How Can Mumbai Indians Still Qualify For Playoffs?
As mentioned above, Mumbai Indians are in a difficult situation. The Hardik Pandya-led side are placed 9th on the table with 4 points in seven matches. However, they still have a chance to end up in top-four of the table.
MI still have seven matches left in the tournament and usually it is seen that a team qualify with 16 points. It is not guarenteed but a usual trend as seen in the past, where the fourth placed team have 16 points.
Therefore, MI need six wins in their next seven matches to qualify for the playoffs and keep their dream alive to lift the sixth IPL title. Notably, it has been 6 years now since MI last won their IPL title.
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