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When Virat Kohli-Led India Wore Military Caps & Contributed Match Fees For Pulwama Attack Martyrs

image-lsty5xq9Kohli and Indian team wore special cap as a mark of tribute [X.com]

As the nation continues to mourn the five-year anniversary of the catastrophic Pulwama Attacks on Indian Army security personnel, we recall the time when Team India paid a special tribute to the great martyrs by wearing a special army-design cap during a One-Day International. 

The incident goes back to March 2019 when India were playing Australia in Ranchi. Skipper Virat Kohli and his Indian playing XI entered the cricket field wearing a specially designed cap containing army shades as a tribute to the jawans who lost their lives following a terrorist attack on a convoy of their vehicles. 

The convoy featured 78 vehicles with 2,500 army personnel travelling. As the series of vehicles reached Lethpora in the Pulwama district, a car laden with explosives rammed into one of the buses, causing a devastating blast. 


When Kohli Paid Tribute To Pulwama Attack Martyrs 

Soon after the inhumane suicide-bombing terrorist attack, the Indian team decided to pay a deep-felt tribute to the martyrs of the Pulwama Attack with army caps worn by the players, including skipper Kohli for the Ranchi One-Dayer of the five-match series against the visiting Australians. At the toss, Kohli spoke with grace and dignity about the CRPF jawans who lost their lives in the attack and revealed the Indian team will be donating its match fees entirely for the fixture towards the national defence fund for the families of the brave army jawans. 

"It's a special cap. This is to pay tribute to the martyrs of the Pulwama Attack and their families. All the players in the team have decided to donate their match fees towards the national defence fund," Kohli said. 

"I as the captain of the team would urge everyone in the country to donate as much as they can and do something for the well-beings of the families and the children of all those who lost their lives."

The suicide-bombing attack which accounted for 40 CRPF bravehearts happened on 14th February and is recalled as the 'Black Day'.