PSL 11 Opener in Lahore Sparks Chaos as Ball Changes Color Mid-Match
Lahore: The 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL 11) officially kicked off with the opening match between defending champions Lahore Qalandars and Hyderabad Kingsmen at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
— Cricket Iconic (@ankanghosh335) March 26, 2026
An unusual incident grabbed attention during the game when the ball unexpectedly changed color, forcing officials to replace it. The curious event quickly became a talking point among cricket fans and analysts, with many joking about the source of the kit used.
🚨 FORMER PAKISTAN CRICKETER TAKES A BRUTAL DIG AT PSL OVER PINK BALL SAGA
"I genuinely thought Hyderabad Kingsmen got their kits dyed at some dupatta lane back home, the kind where they recolor white clothes for bargain rates." 🤣😭🤣
~Kamran Akmal pic.twitter.com/7IIkbCXVEV
— Brutal Truth (@sarkarstix) March 27, 2026
Cricketer Kamran Akmal humorously remarked that in every city there’s a local alley where scarves are dyed, suggesting the ball’s kit might have been colored there.
Congratulations to the opposition on winning their first pink-ball game. 🩷
— Hyderabad Kingsmen (@HHKingsmen) March 26, 2026
Hyderabad Kingsmen’s official X (formerly Twitter) account congratulated Lahore Qalandars on their win, writing: “Congratulations to the opposition for winning your first pink-ball match.” Fans also praised the introduction of the pink ball, with one user commenting, “Thanks to Hyderabad for bringing the pink ball to T20 cricket for the first time in history.”
Thank you Hyderabad for giving us the first ever pink ball T20 match in the history of cricket 😅😂
— Talha Nawaz (@TalhaDigital007) March 26, 2026
Some social media users joked that the ball’s pink color resulted from cost-cutting on the kits, urging teams to spend more on proper equipment.
Bro, it was due to your maroon kit that the ball became pink, please spend some money on your kits.
— Jaffar (@Jaffar_PCT100) March 27, 2026
In a post-match press conference, Hyderabad Kingsmen captain Marnus Labuschagne stated that the umpires were informed about the issue during the second over. He explained that while sometimes pads or bats can transfer color to the ball, witnessing such a color change in a professional match is extremely rare.
The incident sparked lighthearted debate online, highlighting both the novelty and unexpected challenges of using colored balls in high-profile T20 matches.
🚨🚨Marnus Labuschagne on the change of ball color
"I did say to 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’ve never seen anything like pic.twitter.com/VHSXouHZYx
— SheR•ALI (@Sher__Ali) March 26, 2026
