Players of both Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi wore pink caps and the stumps were also coloured pink.
Rawalpindi: Players of both Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi are donning pink caps during their match in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) on Tuesday to raise awareness about breast cancer. While the two captains Babar Azam (Peshawar Zalmi) and Mohammad Rizwan (Multan Sultans) were the first to come out sporting pink caps during the toss, the players too donned the same along with pink ribbons. Even the stumps were painted pink. The commentators wore pink clothes too.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to leverage the HBL Pakistan Super League as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives to promote awareness about breast and childhood cancer,” a PCB statement stated on Tuesday:
“To kickstart this campaign, the match between Peshawar Zalmi and Multan Sultans on March 5 at Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi will be designated as Pink Ribbon Day, focusing on raising awareness about breast cancer,” it added.
PSL has seen a Pink Ribbon Day earlier. In 2020 PSL, two games — Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi, and Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators, had players wearing pink caps during the match. Internationally, Pakistan observed a Pink Ribbon Day in 2019 in a T20I.
Coming together for a cause 🤝
The captains exchange signed jerseys ahead of the #PZvMS match as we observe breast cancer awareness day #PinkRibbon 🎀 #HBLPSL9 | #KhulKeKhel pic.twitter.com/S4VvPNWl6i
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 5, 2024
Who Plays Pink Cricket Matches Other Than Pakistan?
In world cricket, Australia play Pink Tests over the years, an initiative started by former pacer Glenn McGrath in collaboration with Cricket Australia. One of the Australian fast bowling greats, McGrath started McGrath foundation after his wife, Jane, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005.
Through this Pink Test, the funds collected are used for patients and survivors. The Aussies are the first team in the world to introduce the same in international cricket and it is played once in a year. During the Pink Test, players wear Pink caps, and the whole stadium turns pink, even the stumps too.
The first Pink Test was played in 2009 between Australia and South Africa after Jane breathed her last. So far, 16 Pink Tests have been played with the hosts winning eight, drawing six and losing just one. England are the only team to beat Australia in Pink Test in 2011.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board will observe a Pink Ribbon Day on March 12 during the Quetta Gladiators vs Multan Sultans encounter to raise awareness for child cancer.