PCB Suspends Fakhar Zaman for Two Matches Following PSL Ball-Tampering Charge

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued a two-match suspension to Lahore Qalandars batter Fakhar Zaman for altering the condition of the ball during the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The incident occurred during the Sunday match between the Lahore Qalandars and the Karachi Kings, resulting in immediate on-field action by the match officials.

Article 2.14 Offence and Match Penalties

Match officials charged Fakhar with a Level 3 offence under Article 2.14 of the Code of Conduct, which strictly prohibits ball-tampering. The infraction was flagged moments before the final over of the Karachi Kings innings. On-field umpires Shahid Saikat and Faisal Khan Aafreedi halted play, enforced a five-run penalty against Lahore, and immediately replaced the match ball.

The on-field officials submitted the formal charge with the technical support of television umpire Asif Yaqoob and fourth umpire Tariq Rasheed.

Disciplinary Hearing Details

Fakhar formally contested the allegations, prompting a full disciplinary hearing led by match referee Roshan Mahanama. The veteran batter strongly denied any wrongdoing during the proceedings. Mahanama finalized the two-match suspension after reviewing video evidence and hearing direct testimonies. The following franchise representatives attended the hearing:

• Shaheen Shah Afridi (Captain)
• Sameen Rana (Team Director)
• Farooq Anwar (Team Manager)

Additional Franchise Code of Conduct Breaches

The ball-tampering suspension compounds ongoing administrative challenges for the Lahore Qalandars management. The PCB disciplinary committee has levied severe financial penalties against two core fast bowlers for separate off-field infractions.

• Naseem Shah: Fined 20 million PKR for publishing a controversial social media post that breached central contract conditions.
• Shaheen Shah Afridi: Fined 1 million PKR for violating standard security protocols at the team hotel in Lahore.

Upcoming Lahore Qalandars Schedule

The Qalandars must restructure their starting lineup for their upcoming fixtures without their primary top-order batter. Fans and analysts track these team adjustments closely on platforms like ESPNcricinfo.