The incident has caused major embarrassment for the PSL.
The Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 season opener between Lahore Qalandars and Hyderabad Kingsmen at the Gaddafi Stadium was marked by a bizarre "pink-ball" controversy.
During the match, the white ball began changing color, turning a pinkish and eventually reddish shade. This happened specifically when Hyderabad players followed the standard practice of polishing the ball against their kits to maintain shine.
The umpires eventually replaced the discolored ball around the 15th over of the Lahore Qalandars' innings.
Hyderabad captain Marnus Labuschagne raised the issue to umpires as early as the second over, later stating in a press conference that he had "never seen anything like this" in his professional career.
"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.
"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.
The incident sparked significant trolling on social media, with fans mocking the franchise for poor kit quality. Some jokingly called it the first "pink-ball T20" and questioned the tournament standards.
Hyderabad Kingsmen also shared a cheeky post on X, congratulating Qalandars for winning the first "pink-ball game" of the PSL.
"Congratulations to the opposition on winning their first pink-ball game," the post read.
Coming to the match, Lahore Qalandars posted a commanding 199/6 on the board after opting to bat first, driven by Fakhar Zaman’s 53 off 39 balls, 40 from Haseebullah Khan, and a 24-run cameo from Sikandar Raza.
In reply, Hyderabad’s innings folded for 130. The chase never gained momentum as several batters failed to make the start count. Labuschagne finished as the top scorer with 26.
Haris Rauf, Ubaid Shah and Sikandar Raza picked up two wickets each as Qalandars kicked off their campaign with a 69-run victory.