3 min readUpdated: Mar 30, 2026 11:59 AM IST
Fakhar Zaman is facing the prospect of being banned for at least one match after he was charged with ball tampering in Lahore Qalanders’ match against Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League on Sunday. According to reports, the left-handed batter has been accused of changing the condition of the ball during the match that Lahore lost.
The incident happened before the start of the final over of the chase, with Karachi needing 14 off the final over. At that point, television footage showed Fakhar, captain Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf indulging in a conversation with the ball changing hands swiftly. Umpire Faisal Afridi, who was watching the interaction, immediately asked for the ball. And after a chat with the other on-field umpire, Sharfuddoula awarded five runs to Karachi as they found Lahore had changed the condition of the ball.
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As per protocol, the umpires changed the ball, and Afridi walked away unhappy. In the post-match interaction, when asked about the ball-tampering episode, Afridi said, “We will see. I don’t know about this and we will see if there is in the camera and discuss what it is. Actually, five runs were taken, and we can’t do anything.”
And hours later, the PCB has initiated action against Fakhar who first passed on the ball to Afridi. The batsman has been charged with a Level 3 offence which carries a minimum ban of one match and a maximum of two for a first-time violation. And since he has been charged, match referee Roshan Mahanama would conduct a hearing in the next couple of days, where Fakhar can contest the charge.
Lahore all-rounder Sikandar Raza also reacted to the controversy at the post-match presentation, saying he didn’t do anything to change the condition of the ball. “You have to ask the umpires why they changed the ball. When we asked them why they changed the ball, they told us to go away. When they were making the decision, the umpires requested us, even the captain, to go back to the fielding positions,” said Raza.
“I can only speak about myself. There was never any attempt on my part to change the condition of the ball, or even to try. All I remember is that when I was trying to dry the ball and make it shine, the umpires asked us not to dry it under the shirt. Who they are accusing, unless we don’t see the proof, I think it’s a big decision. I have not been called for an enquiry,” he added.
