PCB suspends Fakhar Zaman after Pakistan batter found guilty in PSL ball-tampering scandal
Fakhar Zaman was charged by match referee with a Level 3 offence under Article 2.14 of the PSL Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) came down hard on Fakhar Zaman, suspending the Lahore Qalandars batter over ball-tampering charges during Sunday’s Pakistan Super League (PSL) clash against Karachi Kings at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
PCB gave their verdict on the PSL ball-tampering scandal
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
The 35-year-old was charged by match referee Roshan Mahanama with a Level 3 offence under Article 2.14 of the PSL Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. He was found guilty of breaching Article 41.3 of the PSL playing conditions, which prohibits any action that alters the condition of the ball. On-field umpires Shahid Saikat and Faisal Khan Aafreedi, along with TV umpire Asif Yaqoob and fourth umpire Tariq Rasheed, levelled the charge against Fakhar.
However, Fakhar denied all charges during the hearing, which stemmed from an incident just before the final over of Karachi’s innings, when they required 14 runs to win. He was seen in discussion with fast bowler Haris Rauf and captain Shaheen Afridi before the over, with footage allegedly showing him altering the ball’s condition.
Umpire Faisal Afridi, suspecting foul play, asked for the ball to be inspected and was later seen in a lengthy discussion with his fellow on-field official. The match officials subsequently penalised Lahore Qalandars five runs and replaced the ball. The decision reduced the equation to nine runs in the final over, which Karachi chased down successfully.
Following Fakhar’s denial, the match referee took 48 hours to arrive at a verdict. Captain Shaheen Afridi, team director Sameen Rana, and team manager Farooq Anwar were present during the proceedings.
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
On Tuesday, the PCB confirmed in a statement that Fakhar had been suspended for two PSL matches after being found guilty of the Level 3 offence.
He will now miss Lahore’s upcoming fixtures against Multan Sultans on April 3 at home and Islamabad United on April 9 in Karachi.
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
Get live cricket scores, match updates, schedules, results and ICC rankings. Follow the latest news, statistics and performances of top teams and players on Hindustan Times.
Get live cricket scores, match updates, schedules, results and ICC rankings. Follow the latest news, statistics and performances of top teams and players on Hindustan Times.
Home/Cricket/PCB suspends Fakhar Zaman after Pakistan batter found guilty in PSL ball-tampering scandal
{{^htLoading}}
Advertisement
{{/htLoading}}
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
{{#usCountry}}{{/usCountry}}
Hindustantimes wants to start sending you push notifications. Click allow to subscribe
