White ball turns red from jersey dye as PSL 2026 opener descends into farce
The Pakistan Super League was supposed to kick off its 11th season with a fresh start. A new franchise in Hyderabad, a revamped format, and plenty of pre-tournament hype. Instead, the first match of PSL 2026 will be remembered for one of the strangest incidents in T20 cricket history.
The ball that changed colour
During the Lahore Qalandars' innings at Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday, the white ball began turning pink. By the time it had passed through a few more overs, it was deep red. The culprit was the maroon dye on the Hyderabad Kingsmen's jerseys, which bled onto the ball every time a fielder tried to shine it.
Kingsmen captain Marnus Labuschagne raised the issue with the umpires and later told reporters he had "never seen anything like this before" in professional cricket. The ball was eventually replaced around the 15th over, but by then the damage to the league's reputation was already done.
Fakhar Zaman anchors Qalandars innings
Once the controversy settled, there was still a cricket match to be played. Fakhar Zaman top-scored for Lahore with 53 off 39 balls, an innings built around 10 boundaries that helped the Qalandars post 199 for 6 from their 20 overs. Zaman also became the second player to reach 3,000 PSL runs during the knock.
The Kingsmen's reply never got going. They were bowled out for 130, handing Lahore a comfortable 69-run win. Zaman collected the Player of the Match award.
Behind closed doors and under scrutiny
The ball controversy came on a night when the PSL was already under pressure. A fuel crisis in Pakistan has forced the tournament to play all matches behind closed doors, with fixtures restricted to two venues in Lahore and Karachi. Social media reaction was brutal, with fans questioning the league's quality control and asking how a kit issue this basic was not caught before the first ball was bowled.
Quetta Gladiators and Karachi Kings are scheduled to play the second match of the season on Friday evening, also at Gaddafi Stadium.
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