Revealed: Why England Are Wearing Black Armbands In 1st T20I Against India In Ahmedabad

The much-anticipated T20I series between India and England has been off to a supreme start in Ahmedabad as the tourists have piled the pressure on their opponents. After electing to bowl first at the Narendra Modi Stadium, England claimed the first three wickets within the powerplay, including their captain Virat Kohli. Amongst the other relevant points in the match, the tourists were also wearing black armbands for a special reason.

It is to pay tribute to their former player Joey Benjamin, who sadly passed away on the 8th of March due to a heart attack. Joey Benjamin played only three matches for England, with his sole Test appearance coming in 1994 against South Africa at the Oval, in which he took four wickets. He also featured in a couple of ODIs and picked up a scalp in those. Thus, England’s players are wearing black armbands for the same.

The Warwickshire County Cricket Club paid tribute to the right-arm fast bowler by writing “Benjamin enjoyed four seasons with the Bears where he made 25 first-class and 26 List A appearances, taking a combined 87 wickets across both formats. The thoughts of everyone at Warwickshire CCC are with Joey’s family and close friends at this difficult time,” the statement read as quoted by Yorkshire Post.

England Cricket Board’s statement in Joey Benjamin’s memory:

The England Cricket Board also expressed their grief by saying that they feel gutted to learn Benjamin’s death and that their thoughts are with them during such challenging times. “The ECB is saddened to learn of the death of former England bowler Joey Benjamin at the age of 60. Our thoughts are with Joey’s friends and family,”

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