It should have been Phillip Hughes’ 26th birthday, an occasion for friends and family to cheer another Test recall.

Instead they were celebrating Hughes’ life, tragically cut short when he was struck by a bouncer last Tuesday at the SCG.

Captain Michael Clarke, a day after wiping away tears while delivering a prepared statement on behalf of Australia’s cricket team, was again a source of poignancy on Sunday.

Clarke wrote a personal tribute, describing Hughes as the most loyal and generous-spirited teammate and saying how proud he was to describe him as the brother he never had.

“Happy bday bro. Will love you forever. It has been the hardest few days of my life,” Clarke tweeted at midnight.

Clarke and Aaron Finch posted a series of evocative photographs on social media later in the day, as the birthday wishes came thick and fast from teammates and strangers alike on Twitter.

Clarke and his teammates have returned to their homes but will descend on Hughes’ hometown Macksville, on the NSW mid-north coast, for Wednesday’s funeral.

The desperately unlucky death of a man in his prime has been confronting for all cricketers.

Games in Sharjah and Colombo – featuring Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and England – went ahead but with no sense of normality.

“We are heartbroken for Phil’s family,” New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum said after scoring 202.

The weekend ritual of so many Australians turned sombre, as young and old paid tribute to Hughes in their own ways.

Batsmen retired on 63, players donned black armbands and held a minute’s silence and Hughes’ baggy green number 408 was hard to miss at cricket grounds around Australia.

Crowds at A-League matches burst into sustained applause at the 63rd minute.

Cricket Australia confirmed on Sunday that Hughes’ final knock would go into record books as 63 not out, instead of retired hurt.

“It might seem like a little thing but it’s an important distinction,” CA chief executive James Sutherland said.

Sunday provided more examples of how much Hughes’ death has impacted the entire sporting community.

Australian soccer stars Tim Cahill and Mile Jedinak both scored overnight, the former kissing his black armband after his goal in his team’s MLS eastern conference final second leg.

Crystal Palace captain Jedinak and Reading FC goalkeeper Adam Federici both laid a bat on the turf before their respective games.

English Premier League clubs Manchester United and Arsenal also joined the #putoutyourbats campaign.

In Sydney, a cricket bat was placed on the ninth tee (63rd hole) at the Australian Open where golfers wore black ribbons on their caps.

At Twickenham, the Wallabies and England’s rugby team observed a minute’s applause while a picture of Hughes was displayed on the giant screens.