In a touching gesture, Punjab Kings (PBKS) players wore black armbands during their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA Stadium in Mullanpur on Saturday.
The gesture from Punjab Kings served as a mark of respect for the victims of a tragic boat capsizing incident in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, that claimed multiple lives, many of whom were pilgrims from Punjab.
The Tragic Incident In Vrindavan
On Friday, April 10, 2026, a boat carrying around two dozen to over 30 tourists/pilgrims – largely devotees from Punjab, including many from Ludhiana and Jagraon districts – capsized in the Yamuna River near Keshi Ghat in Vrindavan.
The vessel reportedly veered into deeper waters and struck a floating drum or pontoon left after a temporary bridge was dismantled due to rising water levels.
According to reports, at least 10 people died (including nine from Punjab), with several others injured and a few still missing as rescue operations by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Army, and local authorities continued.
Many victims were pilgrims who had traveled for a devotional visit. The boat operator was arrested for alleged negligence, including failure to provide life jackets and ignoring safety warnings.
Punjab Kings Pay Tribute To Vrindavan Tragedy Victims
In a poignant display of solidarity, the Punjab Kings took to the field at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium wearing black armbands for their IPL 2026 encounter against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Prior to the start of the match, the Punjab Kings released an official statement on social media and stood in solidarity with the grieving families during this difficult time.
“Vrindavan Boat Tragedy. Deeply saddened by the tragic accident. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families of the victims. May their souls rest in peace,” the franchise said in a statement on X.
While the atmosphere at the New Chandigarh stadium remained electric for Match 17 of the season, the black armbands provided a sobering reminder of the events unfolding off the pitch.
Lineup For PBKS vs SRH IPL 2026 Match
Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to bowl first against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 17th match of the IPL 2026 at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh on Saturday.
Priyansh Arya came in for Nehal Wadhera in the PBKS XI, while SRH is fielding Salil Arora in place of Liam Livingstone and handed debut to Praful Hinge.
Sunrisers Hyderabad Impact Subs: Jaydev Unadkat, Liam Livingstone, Shivam Mavi, Praful Hinge, Kamindu Mendis
Punjab Kings Impact Subs: Nehal Wadhera, Vishnu Vinod, Suryansh Shedge, Yash Thakur, Harpreet Brar
Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh(w), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer(c), Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI): Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w/c), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Shivang Kumar, Harshal Patel, Eshan Malinga
