In a fresh controversy in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 season, Lahore Qalandars batter Fakhar Zaman has been accused of ball-tampering during Sunday’s match against Karachi Kings. The 35-year-old Zaman, however, denied the charge after Qalandars’ last-over defeat, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in its statement.
“Fakhar denied the charge levelled against him during a disciplinary hearing led by the match referee Roshan Mahanama,” the PCB said.
“Another hearing is set to take place within the next 48 hours after which the match referee will share his verdict.”
Controversy erupted shortly before the final over of the match, with Karachi needing 14 runs to win. Fakhar, Lahore captain Shaheen Afridi, and fast bowler Haris Rauf were involved in a brief discussion, during which Fakhar and Rauf were seen passing the ball between them.
Umpire Faisal Afridi then called for the ball, inspected it, and had a long discussion with the second on-field umpire, Sharfuddoula of Bangladesh. Both umpires decided that the ball had been deliberately altered and awarded five penalty runs to Karachi, which now needed nine runs off the last six balls. The umpires also changed the ball.
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While Rauf nipped Khushdil Shah out with a superb catch from Sikandar Raza off the first delivery, Abbas Afridi powered Karachi over the line off the next two deliveries, smashing a four and a six in succession.
When asked about the tampering incident after the match, Shaheen said they would look at the video footage.
“I don’t know about this, and we’ll see if it’s there in the camera and discuss it,” Shaheen said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
If found guilty of the tampering incident, Fakhar could face a ban of one or two matches for a first offence in the PSL.
Lahore all-rounder Raza also reacted to the incident, affirming that he did not do anything to deliberately alter the condition of the ball.
“You have to ask the umpires why they changed the ball. When we asked them why they changed the ball, they told us to go away. When they were making the decision, the umpires requested us, even the captain, to go back to the fielding positions,” said Raza in the post-match interaction.
“I can only speak about myself. There was never any attempt on my part to change the condition of the ball, or even to try. All I remember is that when I was trying to dry the ball and make it shine, the umpires asked us not to dry it under the shirt. Who they are accusing, unless we don’t see the proof, I think it’s a big decision. I have not been called for an enquiry,” he added.
– With AP inputs
