Guilty of ball-tampering, Fakhar Zaman banned for two matches

Pakistan batter Fakhar Zaman has been suspended for two matches by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after being found guilty of ball-tampering in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The punishment was handed down for breaching Article 2.14 of the Code of Conduct during a match against Karachi Kings at the Gaddafi Stadium.

The allegation arose during the final over of the match, when Fakhar was suspected of illegally altering the condition of the ball. On-field umpires Faisal Khan Afridi and Sharfuddoula Saikat, along with TV umpire Asif Yaqoob and fourth umpire Tariq Rasheed, brought the charge. Fakhar denied the accusation, leading to a full disciplinary hearing.

Match referee Roshan Mahanama, after reviewing the evidence and hearing Fakhar’s defense, found him guilty. Lahore Qalandars captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, team director Sameen Rana, and team manager Farooq Anwar were also present during the hearing.

The incident took place in the final over of Karachi Kings’ innings, when they needed 14 runs off 6 balls to win. Fakhar, along with Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi, was seen handling the ball in a suspicious manner. Following an inspection, the umpires concluded that the ball had been tampered with, awarding Karachi Kings five penalty runs and replacing the ball—turning the course of the match.

Karachi Kings eventually secured a dramatic victory. Due to the suspension, Fakhar will miss matches against Multan Sultans on April 3 and Islamabad United on April 9. In his absence, Tayyab Tahir could be considered as a replacement.