Why are Indian players wearing black armbands against England in the 2023 ODI World Cup?

The ODI Cricket World Cup 2023 action resumed on Sunday, October 28, when team Indian faced off against the defending champions, England, in their sixth encounter at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.

Black armbands were visible on Rohit Sharma and company during the intense altercation. The Indian players are believed to have worn the armbands in remembrance of former captain and legendary spinner Bishan Singh Bedi, who departed this life on October 23 at the age of 77.

After a protracted illness, Bedi, who was regarded as one of the best left-arm spinners India had ever produced, passed dead. He played in 67 Test matches after making his debut for his country in 1966, amassing 266 Test wickets overall. In 22 red ball cricket matches, he has led the national side.

India hopes to win the 2023 ODI World Cup for the sixth time in a row.

With five victories from their first five games in the 2017 ODI World Cup, Team India is the most reliable squad. To stay undefeated in the competition and increase their chances of securing a semi-final position, they will aim for another victory.

Jos Buttler won the toss and asked the Men in Blue to bat first, forcing India to go first in the thrilling encounter against England. Notably, after winning all five of their previous games via chasing, this is the first time India has had the chance to bat first in the current competition. The team that defeated New Zealand by four wickets at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala was the same combination that the two-time winners used.