Hyderabad Kingsmen were trolled after the ball changed color during their Pakistan Super League opener against defending champions Lahore Qalandars. The white ball turned pink after Hyderabad’s Marnus Labuschagne was asked to bowl first at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Thursday, March 26.
Hyderabad bowlers appeared to use their jerseys to keep the ball shiny and it is believed that the color carried over from there. Maroon dye from the Hyderabad orchard was rubbed onto the white ball, giving it a pinkish hue. Meanwhile, fans mocked the franchise for the poor quality of their jerseys.
Several fans joked that the world was witnessing the first-ever pink-ball T20, while others questioned the league’s standards, calling it a “gorgeous-level” tournament.
Here’s How Fans Trolled Hyderabad Kingsmen
After being asked to bat first, Lahore Qalandars posted 199 for six, riding on Fakhar Zaman’s half-century. The left-hander scored 53 off 39 balls, hitting 10 fours, and the Qalandars got an early boost at the top.
Later, Haseebullah Khan chipped in with a 40-run knock-out, while Sikandar Raza’s quickfire 24 helped Lahore finish just one short of the 200-run mark. Hassan Khan and Riley Meredith got two wickets each for Hyderabad.
Initial difficulties of PSL
The PSL hit troubled waters even before the tournament could gain momentum. The 44-match tournament, originally scheduled for six venues, Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad and Peshawar, was reduced to just two cities, Lahore and Karachi, after the Pakistan Cricket Board revised plans amid the ongoing fuel crisis.
The PCB also confirmed this all matches would be played behind closed doorswithout spectators entering, and the opening ceremony was canceled to reduce costs and traffic. The decision came in response to rising oil prices and government austerity measures, with officials looking to limit travel and public gatherings.
The optics were poor for the league, which expanded to eight teams this season, with fans mocking the online competition and dubbing it the “League of Gasoline Scarcity” even before the cricket could take center stage.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
26 March 2026 22:32 IST
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