Explained: Why are Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan wearing pink caps for the PSL game today?
Players are donning pink caps during the Multan Sultans-Peshawar Zalmi clash in the 2024 PSL today (March 5) to raise awareness for breast cancer.
The two captains Mohammed Rizwan and Babar Azam walked out in pink caps for the toss ahead of the game in Rawalpindi as part of a social initiative by the PCB to promote awareness about breast cancer. Besides the two skippers, every member of both XIs is donning pink caps along with pink ribbons. The stumps at the two sides are also pink, while the commentators are donning pink kits too.
In Pakistan, one in every nine women may eventually develop breast cancer. We are partnering with @pinkribbonorgpk to increase public awareness of breast cancer.
Today we go pink #PinkRibbon 🎀#HBLPSL9 | #KhulKeKhel | #PZvMS pic.twitter.com/jwXILVWNaY
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 5, 2024
There will be messages about breast cancer displayed on the big screen throughout the game, which the commentators will touch upon on air.
Why are the players wearing pink caps for the Multan-Peshawar clash?
A PCB statement confirmed the reason on Tuesday: “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. 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.”
This is not the first time, the PCB has organised a Pink Ribbon Day during a cricket match. Two PSL games in 2020, between Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi, and Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators, saw players accompanied by young girls, wearing pink caps, on to the field.
In 2019, the third T20I between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the Gaddafi Stadium was observed as a Pink Ribbon Day.
As of 2021, Pakistan had the highest cases of breast cancer in Asian countries, with one in nine women at risk of being diagnosed.
The PCB will also observe a Gold Ribbon Day on March 12 for the clash between Quetta Gladiators and Multan Sultans to raise awareness for child cancer.
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