Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman has denied allegations that he tampered with the ball during a Pakistan Super League contest between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings at the Gaddafi Stadium, after footage appeared to show him being caught live on television. The incident triggered immediate intervention from the match officials, a change of ball on the field, and later a formal charge under the PSL code.
Alleged ball change and immediate response
- During the Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings match, Fakhar Zaman was reportedly seen on camera in an incident that prompted concern about the condition of the ball.
- On-field umpires stepped in after the apparent footage, then discussed the matter with Lahore captain Shaheen Shah Afridi.
- Following the discussions, the umpires took the decision to replace the ball after concluding that its condition had been altered.
- Umpire Faisal Afridi then took the ball into his custody, inspected it, and, after consulting the other on-field official, confirmed that the condition was changed.
Charge after the match
- Despite the uproar, Fakhar rejected the ball-tampering charge when he appeared before match referee Roshan Mahanama.
- The 35-year-old opener was charged on Sunday with a Level 3 offence under Article 2.14 of the PSL Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel.
- The charge was tied to an alleged breach of Article 41.3 of the PSL playing conditions, which bans any act that alters the condition of the ball.
- The PSL match referee is expected to conduct an additional hearing within the next 48 hours before issuing a final ruling.
When the incident is said to have happened
The alleged infringement occurred just before the last over of Karachi Kings’ innings. With 14 runs required to win, Fakhar was seen talking with Haris Rauf and captain Shaheen Afridi before the final over began.
Penalty and result
As part of the on-field proceedings, the umpires penalised Lahore Qalandars five runs for altering the condition of the ball and then replaced it. That decision meant Karachi Kings required nine runs from the final over, which they went on to chase successfully.
All-rounder Abbas Afridi then played the decisive shots, striking Rauf for a four and a six after the bowler delivered a wide, sealing the chase.
Potential consequences
If the match referee confirms the offence after the upcoming hearing, Fakhar could face serious sanctions. The possibility also exists that Lahore Qalandars, as a team, could be hit with penalties depending on what the final decision determines.
