Players wear black armbands in cricket as a mark of respect or mourning, usually for a recently deceased player, official, or significant figure connected to the teams or venue.

Today, 4 December 2025, the prominent men’s Test match is the second Ashes Test at the Gabba between Australia and England, where both teams are wearing black armbands to honour former England batter Robin Smith, who died earlier this week. If you are watching a different match, the armbands will almost certainly be for a similar memorial reason linked to a recent death or tragedy announced by the host board.