New Delhi: In a somber tribute to the victims of the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, the IPL 2025 match between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Mumbai Indians (MI) will be held without the usual fanfare. Players and match officials will wear black armbands and observe a minute’s silence at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday evening.
According to reports from PTI, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to eliminate fireworks and sideline performances by cheerleaders for the fixture, as a mark of respect for the 26 civilians killed in the attack.
“The players of both 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 official told PTI. “There will be no cheerleaders or fireworks at the MI vs SRH game tonight,” the source added.
The terror attack, which took place at the popular tourist spot of Baisaran near Pahalgam, shocked the nation. Among the victims were several tourists, including foreign nationals. The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) offshoot, claimed responsibility for the attack.
In response to the tragedy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short his official visit to Saudi Arabia and immediately convened a high-level meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and other top officials. The PM condemned the attack, vowing that the perpetrators “will not be spared.”
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has announced ex-gratia payments of ₹10 lakh each to the families of those killed, ₹2 lakh to the seriously injured, and ₹1 lakh to those with minor injuries. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has also cut short her US visit in light of the incident.
In a rare display of solidarity, the Kashmir Valley observed a shutdown to mourn the victims—a bandh of this nature hasn’t been seen in the region in over three decades.
On the Field: MI vs SRH
Amid the mourning, the IPL action continues. Mumbai Indians, led by Hardik Pandya, will look for their fifth win of the season. MI have picked up momentum after a slow start, with four wins and four losses from eight matches. Sunrisers Hyderabad, on the other hand, are struggling with just two wins in seven games.
This will be the second meeting between the two sides this season, with MI having already beaten SRH earlier at the Wankhede Stadium.
