Hyderabad Kingsmen captain Marnus Labuschagne revealed that young opening batter Maaz Sadaqat was left out of the team’s Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 11 opener due to injury.
The Kingsmen faced defending champions Lahore Qalandars at Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday and suffered a 69-run defeat in their first match of the tournament.
Speaking after the game, Labuschagne confirmed that Sadaqat was unavailable because of a physical setback.
“Yeah, he [Maaz Sadaqat] was injured with… I don’t know if I’m meant to say what sort of injury that was,” Labuschagne said. “A side. He had a side strain. I don’t know the severity, but hopefully we’ll have him back very soon.”
He also addressed an unusual incident during the game in which the white ball appeared to turn red. Labuschagne said he informed the umpires early in the match and suggested the discoloration likely came from the team’s clothing rather than any deliberate action.
He added that while ball discoloration can sometimes occur from contact with bats or pads, he had not previously seen it caused by clothing. The issue is expected to be resolved before the team’s next match on Sunday.
On the field, Lahore Qalandars made a strong start to their title defense, scoring 199 for six in 20 overs. Fakhar Zaman led the innings with 53 off 39 balls, including 10 fours.
Mohammad Naeem contributed 30 from 19 deliveries, while Haseebullah Khan remained unbeaten on 40 off 28 balls. Sikandar Raza added a quick 24 off 10 balls to finish the innings strongly.
In reply, the Kingsmen were bowled out for 130 in their 20 overs.
The Qalandars’ bowling attack was led by pacers Haris Rauf, Ubaid Shah, Shaheen Afridi, and Mustafizur Rahman, with additional support from spinner Sikandar Raza, securing a comprehensive victory.
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