| COMMENTS (82)
When it comes to Pakistan cricket, especially the World Cup, superstition rules supreme. One huge aspect (not directly related to the game) that is discussed from every angle before each World Cup is the colour of the kits, with some fans considering the lime-green coloured kit of 1992 as the one that is likely to bring home the Cup. A darker tinge is usually associated with the 1996 quarterfinals loss to India.
So to put the matter to rest, pakpassion.net and Pakistan’s official kit supplier, “Boom Boom” collaborated to launch a campaign that would give the fans a chance to design the official kit for the World Cup. In a first forinternational cricket, Pakistan’s uniform was inspired by designs sent in by amateur designers and fans, the final product being the result of their extensive feedback. Though a novel idea, it fails to inspire.
Although I am in no way a die-hard cricket fan – so apologies to all those who devoted their time to this – I still want Pakistan to be the World Champions. Most of all, I want our team to be good representatives of the country.
As I look for instances of previous kit launches, I came across a piece where Abdul Qadir rightly says before the 2010 Asia Cup, “Only a few fortunate ones get a chance to wear the green Pakistan colour and the PCB should ensure it is of the highest quality.”
As a designer, here is what I find think is not right about the World Cup kit: Type and graphics are placed in the most appalling manner, everything is scattered and there is no concept of hierarchy. Leaving aside all textbook art and design education, it is simply not pleasing to the eyes. The 7- or 8-point thick, yellow outline on the star and crescent, a source of pride for all Pakistanis, looks simply hideous and the placement is pretty off. Incidentally, the colour of the cap does not even match that of the jersey or the trousers – it is a totally different shade of green. To top it off, the new design team has once again incorporated an unsightly underarm patch on the jersey, in a lighter shade of green. I fail to understand the love for the underarm patch (something that made its debut at the 2010 Asia Cup) in a blaringly different shade.
So if “Boom Boom” changed the ice-cream-soda-coloured-kit to a normal green, their design team completely overlooked the design aesthetics. Sure, the idea of asking fans to send in their contributions is very engaging and ensures that they too feel a part of their team, but can something that is going to be on such a worldwide platform be compromised like this?
Here’s hoping that the design will have no bearing on Pakistan’s performance in the World Cup.
Eefa Khalid is the Visualizer at Dawn.com
* With files from Taimur Sikander, Sports Editor at Dawn.com
