MIn the Pakistan Super League (PSL) qualifier match against Lahore Qalandars on March 15, Mohammad Rizwan, a player for Multan Sultans, took the field with a strip of tape masking a portion of his jersey on his right breast. The tape obscured the logo of Wolf777 News, an online media outlet that has sponsored the team all season.
Wolf777 is also the name of a gambling company, and gambling-related logos on shirts have been a controversial topic in Pakistan cricket recently. Shahid Afridi, a retired star currently competing in Legends League Cricket, also obscured the logo of Lotus 365 News, a gambling website, with tape across his torso.
There were reports in the Pakistan media ahead of the game that Rizwan was unhappy about Multan Sultans being sponsored by Wolf777 News. Dawn News reporter Imran Siddique suggested that there were ongoing talks between Rizwan and the team over the jersey.
However, Multan Sultans released a statement published on Cricket Pakistan. It categorically denying any connection between Wolf777 News and betting or gambling. They stated that Wolf777 News is a sports website that is trying to compete on a regional level with other sports news websites. The team also emphasized their commitment to responsible partnerships. By stating that they would not be associated with a partner that promotes betting or gambling nor would support such ventures.
Despite the controversy, Rizwan still took the field for the toss wearing the altered shirt, and opened the batting in it too. This sponsorship controversy is just one example of the ongoing debates over gambling-related logos on sports shirts and the potential impact on sports teams and players.
In summary, Mohammad Rizwan obscured the logo of Wolf777 News, an online media outlet that sponsors Multan Sultans, in the Pakistan Super League qualifier match against Lahore Qalandars. This move comes amid ongoing debates over gambling-related logos on sports shirts and sponsorship controversies. Despite the controversy, Multan Sultans emphasized their commitment to responsible partnerships and denied any connection between Wolf777 News and betting or gambling.
