Lahore, March 27 – Australian batsman Marnus Labuschagne was left bewildered as the opening match of the 2026 Pakistan Super League (PSL) between Lahore Qalandars and Hyderabad Kingsmen at Gaddafi Stadium saw the white ball gradually turn pink.
The issue appeared to stem from the standard cricketing practice of fielders polishing the ball against their clothing to preserve its shine. However, during the match, this procedure led to an unusual complication: the maroon pigment from the Hyderabad Kingsmen's jerseys began transferring onto the white ball, turning it pink.
Labuschagne, representing the Hyderabad Kingsmen, lodged a formal complaint with the umpire after observing that the maroon dye from his team's kit was bleeding onto the white leather, causing the ball to transition from pink to a distinct shade of red as the innings progressed.
Speaking after the match, Labuschagne said he had never seen anything like it before in professional cricket.
"I told the umpires after the second over, 'What's going on? The ball is red.' It must be from the clothes or something like that. I haven't seen anything like this before," Labuschagne told reporters at the post-match press conference.
"I've seen occasions where something on a bat comes onto the ball, or when it hits the pad and takes a bit of paint off. But I've never seen this happen with clothing. I'm sure they'll sort it out in the next few games," he added.
Following the Lahore Qalandars' victory, the Hyderabad Kingsmen took to X to offer a witty acknowledgement of the day's mishap.
The franchise congratulated their opponents on winning what they jokingly dubbed the first "pink-ball game" in PSL.
"Congratulations to the opposition on winning their first pink-ball game," the franchise's official account posted.
The incident quickly caught the attention of fans on social media, with Hyderabad Kingsmen facing criticism as clips and images of the discoloured ball went viral, causing major embarrassment for the PSL.
"For the sake of God, make new branded kits, Indians are now making fun of us... The owner bought the team on 180++ crore but failed to make branded kits," a fan shared on X.
Another user wrote, "Thank you Hyderabad for giving us the first ever pink ball T20 match in the history of cricket." A fan said, "Change your kit ASAP, and spare yourself from further humiliation."