WTC Final 2025: Why Australian and South African players observed silence and wore black armbands – Full Reason

The third day of the World Test Championship Final (WTC 2025) at the iconic Lord’s between Australia and South Africa began with both teams observing a minute’s silence and wearing black armbands to pay tribute to the victims of the devastating crash of the Air India London-bound flight from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, June 12. 

On Thursday afternoon, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people, 230 passengers and 12 crew members, crashed just 33 seconds after take-off from Ahmedabad airport. The aircraft banged into the hostel of BJ Medical College, resulting in one of the deadliest aviation disasters in recent history. The official death toll recorded at least 260, as the crash claimed not only those onboard but also students and staff at the medical college.

Meanwhile, as the players came onto the field on Day 3 of the final, there was a moment of silence as they stood still, removed their caps and helmets, and joined spectators in a minute of silence in memory of the victims and wore their black armbands.

One man, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, an Indian-origin British national, miraculously survived and has since shared his harrowing experience. The incident has triggered widespread grief, with tributes coming in from cricketers, political leaders, and citizens across the globe. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the site and conducted a review. The Indian government is now considering grounding the Boeing 787-8 fleet pending investigations.

Day 3 of WTC 2025 Final is evenly poised

Coming to the game, Australia were in the game after skipper Pat Cummins’ spell of 6/28 that dismantled South Africa for just 138 in the first innings, giving the defending champions a 74-run lead. However, the Proteas bounced back solidly as Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi together wreaked havoc, reducing them to 144/8 by stumps on Day 2. The side made an impressive start on Day 3 as they got rid of Nathan Lyon early, leaving Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood the last pair.