Why are the Sri Lankan players wearing black armbands in today’s IND vs SL match of 2023 World Cup?

Sri Lankan players are wearing black armbands in their ongoing 2023 World Cup match against India. The Kusal Mendis-led outfit are paying tribute to the late Uncle Percy, a Sri Lanka cricket superfan, who passed away on October 30.

Percy Abeysekera, famously known as Uncle Percy, was one of the biggest fans of the Sri Lankan cricket team. He regularly attended their matches for five decades. He had been battling illness during the Asia Cup last month, which eventually led to his death.

Regarded by many as the first superfan of Sri Lankan cricket, Uncle Percy will always have a special place in the island nation's cricket history. Hence, the Sri Lankan players are wearing black armbands in his memory.

Speaking of the match between Sri Lanka and India, the islanders have won the toss and opted to field first in Mumbai. They have made one change to their squad, leaving Dhananjaya de Silva out for Dushan Hemantha.

"We want to win today's game for sure"- Sri Lankan captain Kusal Mendis aims to take his team to 2023 World Cup semifinals

Sri Lanka have played six matches in the league round of the 2023 World Cup so far, recording two wins and four losses. They are in a do-or-die situation right now. Speaking with Ravi Shastri at the toss, captain Kusal Mendis reflected on his team's performance and said:

"Wicket is really good, but it looks better to bat on in the second innings. We are putting in our best effort and hope to make the most of the game today. We want to win today's game for sure and are definitely looking forward to reaching the semi-finals."

Sri Lanka have a 0-5 win-loss record against India in ODIs this year. It will be interesting to see if they can snap their losing streak.