In WC final against India, Mitchell Starc paid tribute to Aussie batter Phil Hughes who died at 25 with special armband

It was a super Sunday for the Australian cricket team as they strode to a 6-wicket dramatic win against India in the ICC Men's World Cup 2023 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

It was also a poignant day for Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc who paid tribute to his mate Phillip Hughes who died after being struck on the head by a ball during a Sheffield Shield match in 2014.

During the World Cup final played in front of a 1,32,000-strong audience, the 33-year-old Starc wore a black armband with the initials 'PH' embroided as a mark of tribute. It was on display as he answered skipper Pat Cummins’s call to bowl after Australia won the toss and decided to field.


The 25-year-old Hughes was struck in the neck by a bouncer and collapsed on the field before being taken to hospital, where he later died. His death had sent shockwaves through the cricketing world, and also triggered a call for change in the kind of helmets and neckguards used by batters.



For Starc and other Australian players, the death of Hughes left a void. The team has often been spotted wearing his Baggy Green number, 408, in various forms during tournaments. In 2015, the Australian team led by then-captain Michael Clarke, also wore a black armband with Hughes's initials, and had dedicated their World Cup triumph to the player, a year after his death.

Another Australian player, Travis Head, who ensured the team's victory with his super century has also been a fan of Hughes. Head's header photograph on X, formerly known as Twitter, is that of Hughes hugging Head.

Hughes was an Australian Test and One-Day International cricketer who died in 2014 after a freak accident while playing for New South Wales.