Babar Azam Refuses to Wear Logos of Indian Betting Companies During LPL 2023 Game

While all other players in the team were sporting the logos on their jerseys, which were of Indian betting companies - Babar did not have any logos.

Colombo: All eyes were on the R. Premedasa stadium in Colombo on Sunday as the opening game of the Lanka Premier League was taking place between Jaffna Kings and Colombo Strikers. Pakistan captain Babar Azam was the star attraction, but unfortunately, he did not live up to the billing as he perished for seven runs. But it was not Babar’s early dismissal that caught attention, instead, it was his outfit that became the talking point. While all other players in the team were sporting the logos on their jerseys, which were of Indian betting companies – Babar did not have any logos.

Here are some of the reactions to his act:

Babar Azam refused to wear the logos of Indian betting companies Kheloyar and 1xBook on the front and back of his playing and training shirts. No betting company logos on his headshots too, other players can be seen wearing them. Respect ❤️ #LPL2023pic.twitter.com/oKEeTNv3jU

— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) July 30, 2023

@amlahash the trend setter no one even knew if this was possible before you took the stand!

— Dr.Ali Murtaza (@DrAliSays) July 30, 2023

So that means you guys have ZERO respect for one of your biggest legends @realshoaibmalik ?

Why this double standards? Just because he married an Indian sporting super star ? pic.twitter.com/oPP5kEG5vS

— Aniket Bose (@ABnormalConnect) July 31, 2023

Meanwhile, a 34-ball cameo by Colombo Strikers skipper Niroshan Dickwella could not stop reigning champions Jaffna Kings from winning the inaugural fixture of the Sri  Lanka Cricket (SLC) organised Lanka Premier Leage (LPL) by 21 runs at the R. Premadasa International Stadium on Sunday.

Discarded lately from all three formats of international cricket, Dickwella came back with a hammer and tong innings showcased by 9 boundaries and a six, but lacked real support upfront as Colombo Strikers having opted to chase were bowled out for 152 in 19.4 overs chasing 174 for victory as he watched his opening partner Pakistan captain Babar Azam fall for 7 bowled by Tissara Perera by a back of length ball attempting to pull, the ball hitting off stump. The next best contribution was by No.7 Chamika Karunaratne 23 off 15 (2×4, 1×6) by which time the asking rate was too much after Dickwella was fourth out with the score 87 after 10.3 overs.

For Jaffna Kings, Hardu Viljoen, former South African fast bowler and brother-in-law to former Protea skipper Faf Du Plessis, who quit after a solitary test appearance to play for Derbyshire, took 3 for 31 while Dilshan Madushanka and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth took 2 wickets each.