Fakhar Zaman has faced a two-game ban for ball-tampering. Credits - AFP
The Pakistan Super League (PSL 2026) has been mired in controversy since Fakhar Zaman's ball-tampering row, which unfolded last Sunday. During the Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings match, the experienced batter was charged for tampering with the condition of the ball.
The incident occurred in the final overs of the Qalandars vs Kings game, when the chasing side needed 14 runs off six balls, but the umpires - Faisal Afridi and Sharfuddoula - paused the game. They penalised the Qalandars by 5 runs, while the match referee, Roshan Mahanama, decided to ban Fakhar for the next 2 games.
Although Fakhar contested the charges, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) upheld the decision imposed by the match referee.
Karachi Kings asked Match Referee to keep an eye on Fakhar Zaman
According to Telecom Asia Sport, Mahanama didn’t find the Lahore batter to hamper the ball at first, but the Karachi Kings filed a complaint to the match referee to check for the ball-tampering around the 13th over of the second innings. Later, the referee asked the two umpires to keep an eye on Fakhar.
“Karachi Kings management filed a complaint against Fakhar Zaman, after which the referee instructed the umpires to keep an eye on him,” sources told Telecom Asia Sport. “Karachi Kings suspected possible ball tampering from around the 13th over,” it added.
Also Read: Pakistan Bowler Gives Away 14 Runs Off 1 Ball In PSL 2026
The report has also suggested that Fakhar had a foreign object, which damaged the ball and changed its colour.
“The match referee instructed the umpires via walkie-talkie, who then became alert to the possible presence of an object in Fakhar’s pocket. The colour of the ball was significantly damaged in one area, indicating that its condition had been altered,” the report added.
Lahore Qalandars to take legal action against PCB?
Following Fakhar Zaman's two-game ban, it was reported that the Lahore-based franchise was considering legal action against the Pakistan board. However, with visual proofs against Fakhar, it doesn't seem that the franchise will be eager to push its boundaries.
The 35-year-old batter was charged with "Level 3 Offence under Article 2.14 of the applicable Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel".
The defending champions played one of their games without Fakhar Zaman on Friday. They didn't feel their star opener's absence, as Mohammad Naeem (60 off 28) and Parvez Hossain Emon (45 in 19) gave them a rapid start of 86 runs.
As they posted 185 runs in a 13-over affair, the Qalandars won the game by 20 runs. Mustafizur Rahman starred with the ball, with two wickets and bagged the record for most T20 wickets as a left-arm seamer.
Controversy muddle for Lahore Qalandars
Apart from the ball-tampering row, Lahore Qalandars have also been part of other major controversies. Before the game vs Karachi Kings, skipper Shaheen Afridi and Sikandar Raza escorted four of their guests to one of the players’ hotel rooms, breaking local police security norms.
Even though Raza had stated that the guests were his friends. The Qalandars’ co-owner slapped a hefty PKR 1 million fine on the captain.
Also Read: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma To Visit Bangladesh For India! IND vs BAN 2026 Schedule Locked
