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Punjab Kings' IPL 2026 match against Delhi Capitals in Dharamshala began with a strong start from their openers, but fans also noticed a sombre detail on the field.
PBKS players were seen wearing black armbands during the contest at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium. In cricket, black armbands are usually worn as a mark of respect or mourning, and the gesture immediately raised questions among viewers watching the match. The reason was connected to someone closely associated with the Punjab Kings dressing room.
PBKS pay tribute to Andrew Leipus' mother
As per ESPNcricinfo, Punjab Kings players wore black armbands in memory of the mother of team physio Andrew Leipus, who passed away on Sunday. The team made the gesture during their IPL 2026 match against Delhi Capitals as a mark of respect for Leipus and his family.
Leipus is an important part of the PBKS support staff and currently serves as the franchise’s Physiotherapy Consultant. His role involves managing player fitness, injury recovery, screening and rehab work through the long IPL season.
Who is Andrew Leipus?
Andrew Leipus is one of the most respected names in cricket physiotherapy. He is best known for his work with the Indian national team in the early 2000s, where he played a major role in modernising fitness and injury-management systems.
He also had a long association with Kolkata Knight Riders, spending 12 years with the franchise before later joining Punjab Kings. At PBKS, he works closely with strength and conditioning coach Adrian Le Roux, another experienced figure in cricket fitness circles.
This is his sixth consecutive season with the Punjab franchise, and he has been involved in the medical and rehab management of several key players, including Shreyas Iyer and Arshdeep Singh.
Also READ: Why are Kuldeep Yadav and Lockie Ferguson not playing today's PBKS vs DC game in Dharamshala?
Punjab Kings make strong start against DC
On the field, Punjab Kings made a flying start after being asked to bat first by Delhi Capitals. Priyansh Arya attacked Mitchell Starc from the first over itself, opening his account with a six and helping PBKS race to 22 runs in the opening over.
Arya continued the assault and reached his half-century off just 24 balls, giving Punjab early control. Prabhsimran Singh was dismissed for 18, but PBKS had already put Delhi under pressure with a rapid powerplay.
Still, the black armbands remained the emotional note of the evening. Punjab Kings were playing an important match, but they also took time to honour a member of their support staff and stand with him during a personal loss.
