Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chair Mohsin Naqvi has said the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has evolved into the top choice for investment. Speaking during a meeting of the PCB Board of Governors, Naqvi said the league’s financial and commercial momentum is strengthening, while the board also cleared the annual audited financial statements for the 2024-25 season.
Naqvi further claimed that the PSL is steadily moving toward becoming the world’s leading franchise competition. He suggested that such a milestone is only a matter of time. “The PSL has now become the best market for investment,” Naqvi said, adding that the league will soon be recognised as the world’s number one tournament.
The Board of Governors also recorded appreciation for what it described as a record-setting PSL 2026 franchise auction. Naqvi said he is confident about the league’s upward path and argued that the response from investors reflects Pakistan cricket’s promising outlook on the global scene.
Zaman probe and ban after ball-tampering allegation
Separately, reports have indicated that Pakistan batter Fakhar Zaman was under close scrutiny by match officials even before the ball was changed and penalty runs were awarded in the PSL. Zaman later received a two-match ban after being found guilty of ball-tampering during a PSL fixture.
The account states that Karachi Kings management raised concerns to the fourth umpire and then informed the match referee from the 13th over onward. The team reportedly suspected that Zaman might have been altering the condition of the ball.
It was also claimed that the referee instructed the on-field umpires to keep a close watch on Lahore Qalandars players, with Zaman identified as the main focus. In addition, umpire Faisal Afridi was said to have been monitoring Zaman even before the final over began.
As per the information shared, Afridi requested the ball and, after examining it, believed it had been tampered with using a foreign object. That led to the decision to replace the ball and apply penalty runs during the match.
After serving the ban, Zaman appealed the referee’s ruling to the PSL’s technical committee, seeking to overturn the punishment. However, the committee rejected the appeal, citing that there was sufficient circumstantial material available to the umpires and match referee to justify action against him.
With the suspension in place, Zaman sat out Lahore’s match against Multan Sultans on Friday night and is expected to miss another game on April 9.
