Rishabh Pant expresses grief; T20 Mumbai, UTT players wear black armband for Ahmedabad plane crash

IANS June 13, 2025 296 views

A devastating Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad shook the nation, claiming over 220 lives. Rishabh Pant and numerous sports personalities expressed deep grief and solidarity with the victims' families. Multiple sporting events, including T20 Mumbai League and Ultimate Table Tennis, honored the victims through black armbands and moments of silence. The tragedy united athletes across different sports in collective mourning and remembrance.

"Shocked, heartbroken, and devastated by the news of the plane crash in Ahmedabad" - Rishabh Pant
Mumbai, June 12: India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant expressed his shock and grief while players participating in the T20 Mumbai League and Ultimate Table Tennis sported black armbands after an Air India flight bound for London, carrying over 240 passengers, crashed shortly after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon.

Key Points

1

Tragic Air India flight crash claims 169 Indian and 53 British lives

2

Sports fraternity unites in mourning and solidarity

3

T20 Mumbai and UTT players wear black armbands

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Condolence messages displayed across sporting events

At least 169 Indians and 53 British nationals were travelling in Air India's flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London's Gatwick airport.

Pant was devastated by the news and prayed for the victims and the families of the affected.

"Shocked, heartbroken, and devastated by the news of the plane crash in Ahmedabad. Praying for the victims, their families, and everyone affected," said Pant in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Players involved in the final of the T20 Mumbai League observed a minute of silence for the victims.

In the spirit of solidarity and national sentiments, players from SoBo Mumbai Falcons and Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals, along with MCA officials, observed a minute of silence for the victims before the start of the T20 Mumbai League final at the Wankhede Stadium.

A condolence message was displayed on the big screen before the start of the T20 Mumbai League 2025 Final at Wankhede Stadium, and all players wore black armbands.

"Our prayers are with the victims of today's crash. Remembering them in silence and solidarity," the condolence message read.

In Ahmedabad, players from Dabang Delhi TTC and U Mumba TT wore black armbands in memory of the lives lost in the tragic Air India crash for their match in the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 6.

"Our hearts go out to the families affected. Ultimate Table Tennis stands united in grief," the league said in its message.

Earlier, the sports fraternity expressed its grief and anguish over the tragic accident with Harbhajan Singh, P.V. Sindhu, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Bajrang Punia, Shikhar Dhawan, and Mohammed Shami, besides all the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises expressed their grief over the tragic crash.

Reader Comments

A
Arjun K.
Heartbreaking news 😢 Such gestures by our sports stars show the unity of our nation in tough times. Rishabh Pant's words really touched me - celebrities using their platform for good causes. May the departed souls rest in peace.
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Priya M.
While I appreciate the solidarity shown, I wish our sports authorities would do more than just symbolic gestures. Maybe organize charity matches to help families affected? Just wearing armbands feels like the bare minimum.
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Rahul S.
This is why I love Indian sports culture - always standing together in difficult moments. From cricket to table tennis, everyone showing respect. But we must also ask tough questions about aviation safety. Too many accidents recently.
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Neha T.
As someone from Ahmedabad, this tragedy hits too close to home. Seeing our sports stars acknowledge the pain means a lot. Rishabh Pant's message was so heartfelt - shows these players are humans first, celebrities second. 🙏
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Vikram J.
The minute of silence at Wankhede gave me goosebumps. Sports has this unique power to unite people across states, languages, and backgrounds. My prayers with all affected families. Hope the investigation brings answers quickly.
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Sunita P.
So many young talents were probably on that flight going abroad for studies or work. Such a huge loss for our nation. Glad to see our sporting community paying respects. But we need better aviation safety - this can't keep happening.

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Tags:
Rishabh Pant Ahmedabad Plane Crash Air India Sports Solidarity T20 Mumbai League Ultimate Table Tennis