PSL 2026: Why did ball colour change from white to pink during LAH vs HYK? Marnus Labuschagne gives BIG statement

Marnus Labuschagne’s Hyderabad Kingsmen lost the inaugural game of the PSL 2026 by 69 runs against Lahore Qalandars.

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 started with a battle between Lahore Qalandars and Hyderabad Kingsmen at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Qalandars registered an easy victory, winning the game by 69 runs.

However, the talking point of the match was the change in colour of the white ball to pink, which left everyone in shock. It is common for cricketers to rub the ball on their jersey in order to shine one side, but this was one of the rare instances where the colour of the jersey transferred onto the ball, changing its colour to pink and then red.

Australian cricketer and Hyderabad Kingsmen captain Marnus Labuschagne even complained about the matter to the umpire after seeing the condition of the ball.

LAH vs HYK: “I haven’t seen anything like this before”- Marnus Labuschagne’s statement on the ball colour

Lahore Qalandars had a comfortable win in the inaugural game of the season, and after the match, Hyderabad Kingsmen posted a cheeky message on X, congratulating their opponents for winning the first “pink ball” contest in the Pakistan Super League.

Marnus Labuschagne raised his concerns about the change in the colour of the ball and said:

“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 haven’t seen anything like this before,” Labuschagne told reporters at the post-match press conference.

He further added, “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.”

This incident has brought attention and, along with it, embarrassment to the PSL, with fans questioning the franchise about the use of low-quality kits despite owning teams worth millions. Both fans and players expect the franchises to address this issue in upcoming games by providing better-quality kits.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.