We’re still over a month out from the start of this year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL), but the drama surrounding Pakistan’s premier cricket tournament is already in full swing. But nothing is as shocking as the names of the three new teams.
After Ali Tareen locked horns with the league’s management in October, his team — the Multan Sultans — was sold off and relocated to Rawalpindi. The new owners, Walee Technologies, renamed the team to something more appropriately tech bro-esque: Pindiz.
If your reaction to reading that was confusion, shock, disbelief or a combination of the three, you’re not alone. X did not react kindly to the news either.
The Pindiz were one of three new entrants to the PSL this year, alongside the Sialkot Stallionz and the Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen. Netizens couldn’t decide which one was worse.
One user did say the new names took some heat off Karachi and its Kings — who are dead last in the league when it comes to titles and runner-up positions.
It was all fun and games until the names were announced.
Even Tareen weighed in.
Sheru, the mascot for the Pindiz’s neighbouring Islamabad United, brought some banter into the mix, comparing the team’s name to bhindi (okra) and even wondering what Islamabad’s squad might’ve been named if current trends were followed.
He asked fans what they would’ve named the new team, a few users were actually onto something with their suggestions.
Someone even started a petition to get the name changed, looking to get 1,000 signatures “to make the owners change this name to a sensible name”.
With the countdown to the PSL well underway, fan are waiting with bated breath to see which of the new sides stands a chance at taking the cup home: the Stallionz, the Houston Kingsmen or the Pindiz.