Can someone tell me who came up with the ice-cream soda green for Pakistan cricket team’s new kit? When Shahid Afridi and Co. first appeared on screen, for a second I thought the brightness and contrast settings of our office idiot box (yes, we watch cricket at work!) were messed up. But when Sri Lanka’s blue and yellow kit didn’t seem unusually bright and funny, I figured it was the folks at ‘Boom Boom’ who were to blame.

It isn’t just the colour I have a problem with, it’s the entire look. The design (or lack of) on the front and sleeves makes it look like the kit for one of those district-level club teams, the ones who barely have enough funds to buy eleven pairs for each of the players. It’s no secret that the Pakistan Cricket Board’s financial conditions are much healthier than that.

The name and number printing on the back is equally hideous. It’s almost as though the designers ran out of ideas and literally went back to the basics. The writing looks like they used stencils, which I (or people with illegible handwriting like mine) used in school to write out names on notebooks. The worst part, however, is the white underarm patch. It leaves me speechless.

I may be taking it too far with the criticism but heck, even Afghanistan have a better kit than us! And while kits may not be as important in bringing out the best in players as team spirit, a smartly-dressed team does leave a better impression (the Kiwis) than a funnily-dressed one (the kiwi). So unless Pakistan cricket team’s new kit comes with Captain Planet’s abilities to combine powers (and players), it’s pretty hideous.

 Hafsa Adil is sports editor at Dawn.com

The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.