PSL is under fire as the ball in Pakistan turns red again
NEW DELHI: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) continues to face an unusual controversy this season, with the match ball changing color again, this time during a match involving the Karachi Kings. In a bizarre repeat of a previous incident, dye from players’ kit was reportedly rubbed onto the white ball, causing it to turn red during play.He watches:
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This marks the second such event in PSL 2026. Earlier in the opening match between Lahore Qalandars and Hyderabad Kingsmen at Gaddafi Stadium, the ball turned pink due to color transfer from the jerseys. This incident left players and officials confused, sparking widespread interest.Reacting to the incident, Hyderabad Kingsmen captain Marnus Labuschagne said, “I said to the referees after the second half, ‘What’s going on?’ “The ball is red.”
It must be clothes or something. “I’ve never seen anything like this before,” he said, before adding: “I’ve seen occasions where something comes on the ball on the bat, or where it hits the plate and takes a bit of paint off. But I’ve never seen that happen with clothes. I’m sure they’ll solve that problem in the next few games.”Amid off-field talk, Karachi Kings registered a decisive five-wicket win over Lahore Qalandars. Chasing 200, captain David Warner anchored the innings with an unbeaten 63, while Khushdil Shah provided a late flourish with 44 off just 14 balls.
Earlier, Abdullah Shafiq (62) and Fakhar Zaman (61) boosted the Qalandars to 199/5 with a stand of 110 runs. Despite the strong total, Karachi chased it down with eight balls to spare, keeping their qualifying hopes alive.However, as the ball color issue resurfaces, questions are being raised about the quality of equipment and match conditions, adding an unusual twist to PSL 2026.