The big debate: Pakistan’s missing bit of green

Designers beware: sweaters can lead to board inquiries.

Pakistan are playing the historic Test against Ireland with a minor design change in their kit. Their sweater is missing a bit of green, a fact that did not go unnoticed by a man who wore it plenty of times – Wasim Akram.

Akram tweeted a screenshot from the Test of Babar Azam batting with the sweater on. “Where is the green stripe gone from our sweater? Not cool.” Akram was referring to more traditional designs which have had a line of green around the neck.

Once the tweet went viral, it prompted a response from the PCB. “Thank you for pointing this out. We are going to seriously inquire into the matter.” The PCB has a long and celebrated history of inquiries but this is a first – an inquiry into a slight design change of kit that the PCB itself (presumably) must have carried out.

Not that much is likely to come of it. Indeed, until yesterday, PCB officials were not especially concerned by Akram’s tweet.

Pakistan’s kit is manufactured by an outside firm, AJ Sports with input from the board itself. And though there was no opportunity to see the sweaters in the UAE last year – it being the UAE – the green was missing back then as well. Most series, officials say, see little changes here and there in the team kit and this, it is believed, was one of those. For instance, Pakistan have brought back cream and off-white Test kits, where many sides prefer whites.