TTS Report :
Marnus Labuschagne expressed surprise over a bizarre ball-colour controversy during Hyderabad Kingsmen’s PSL 11 opener, revealing he had “never seen anything like that before” after the white ball appeared to turn red mid-match.
The unusual incident, which quickly drew attention, occurred during the Kingsmen’s clash against Lahore Qalandars at Gaddafi Stadium, where the ball’s colour visibly changed after contact with players’ kits, something Labuschagne said was unprecedented in his experience.
“I mentioned to the umpires after the second over that the ball was red, it must have been from the clothes or something like that,” Labuschagne said and added: “I’ve seen it come off bats or pads before, but I’ve never seen it come from clothing.”
The incident overshadowed a disappointing start for the Hyderabad Kingsmen, who suffered a heavy 69-run defeat in their debut match of the tournament.
Adding to their troubles, Labuschagne confirmed that young opener Maaz Sadaqat was ruled out of the match due to injury, forcing a late adjustment to the batting lineup. “He had a side strain… I don’t know the severity, but hopefully we’ll have him back very soon,” he said.
Despite the strange ball episode, Labuschagne downplayed any lingering concerns, expressing confidence that the issue would be resolved before their next fixture. “I’m sure we’ll sort it out in the next few days before our next game,” he added.
The Kingsmen, one of two new franchises introduced in the expanded Pakistan Super League Season 11, are still settling combinations as they navigate their debut campaign.
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