Daily Times

LAHORE: Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Amir were seen playing in the Aussie Cricket League (ACL), a community Twenty20 cricket league in Melbourne last December. The ACL, which features teams comprising players from various local migrant communities, witnessed the presence of former international stars, including Kamran, Amir, and Sri Lanka’s renowned fast bowler Lasith Malinga. However, the duo has now taken legal action against one of the league’s sponsors, Tazwin Sports, a cricket gear manufacturer based in Melbourne’s western suburbs. The crux of the legal dispute lies in Tazwin Sports allegedly using unauthorized photos of Kamran and Amir in their promotional material on their website. The photos were edited to showcase the cricketers holding Tazwin Sports’ bats, and the company branded them as “PROUD TAZ-WINNERS.” In the process, Tazwin Sports reportedly removed the name of another ACL sponsor, Exclusive Migration, from the Pakistan team’s shirts.

The conflict escalated when Kamran and Amir demanded that Tazwin Sports remove the photos from their website, both personally and through their lawyers, but the images remained online. Tazwin Sports argued that their sponsorship of the ACL entitled them to use the photos, claiming to have an oral agreement with the tournament organizers for such usage. However, Kamran and Amir contend that the sponsorship agreement only required Tazwin Sports to pay $3000 and provide three bats, which they did not fulfill.

The cricketers believe that Tazwin Sports’ use of the photos implies a false association with the brand, leading to potential damage to their reputations and loss of sponsorship opportunities. Kamran claims to have missed out on an annual deal worth $28,000 to be an exclusive brand ambassador for another Australian brand, including $7000 in sports equipment. Amir states that he lost a lucrative three-year offer from another company, which involved yearly payments of $30,000 and $5000 worth of equipment.

As a result of these issues, Kamran and Amir have filed a court case against Tazwin Sports, accusing the company of engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct under Australian consumer law. They seek damages from the cricket gear manufacturer and an injunction to prevent the further use of the photos. The case is set to have its first hearing on Monday in the Federal Court.