MI vs RCB: Why Mumbai Indians & Royal Challengers Bengaluru players are wearing black armbands in IPL 2026? Revealed

Players of Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are wearing black armbands in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at Wankhede Stadium and also observed a minute's silence in the memory of legendary singer Asha Bhosle, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 92.

Bhosle, who was the younger sister of another legendary voice Lata Mangeshkar, had been moved to a private hospital in Mumbai on Saturday evening because of a chest infection and exhaustion.

The news of her death was confirmed by son Anand Bhosle on Sunday. Prior to the first ball being bowled, both the teams stood in line to observe a minutes to pay tribute to the departed soul. Commentator Harsha Bhogle said that the players are wearing black armbands in her memory.

A moment of silence at Wankhede as we remember and pay tribute to the legendary Asha Bhosle Tai. Our players are wearing black armbands as a mark of respect," wrote Mumbai Indians on Instagram. During the game, former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar described her death as a loss to the Indian music industry.

“Loss to the Indian music industry, Indian film industry,” Gavaskar said on air.

A glimpse of Asha Bhosle's career

Born in 1933, Bhosle began her musical journey at a young age and rose to prominence in the 1950s. Her voice, playful, emotive, and adaptable, became synonymous with generations of film music.

From soulful ghazals like "Dil Cheez Kya Hai" to vibrant hits such as "Piya Tu Ab To Aaja" and timeless classics like "Chura Liya Hai Tumne," her repertoire showcased an unmatched range. Her contributions were recognised with some of India's highest honours, including the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and the Padma Vibhushan. In 2011, she was acknowledged by the Guinness World Records as the most-recorded artist in music history.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and opted to field. The five-time champions made two changes, bringing in Mitchell Santner and Mayank Markande in place of Allah Ghazanfar and Deepak Chahar. RCB brought in Jacob Duffy in place of Josh Hazlewood.

MI vs RCB playing XIs

Mumbai Indians: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (capt), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Mayank Markande.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (capt), Tim David, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy, Suyash Sharma.