Mohsin Naqvi's PCB Bans Fakhar Zaman From PSL 2026

Fakhar Zaman for Pakistan - (Source: AFP)

In a significant development, the Mohsin Naqvi-led PCB has announced their verdict on Pakistan star Fakhar Zaman for the ball-tampering row. The incident occurred when Lahore Qalandars squared off against Karachi Kings in PSL match 6 on Sunday. 

Notably, Fakhar Zaman, playing for Lahore, tampered with the ball towards the end of the innings when umpire spotted something unusual. It created a stir as the officials penalised Lahore Qalandars for five runs and the ball was changed before the start of last over of Karachi Kings’ batting innings.

Fakhar was heavily criticised for his actions and there were reports that the PCB might also impose a heavy ban on the southpaw.

Fakhar Zaman Banned For 2 PSL Matches

On Tuesday, March 31, the PCB issued an official statement, confirming a two-match ban for the 35-year-old. The PCB issued a press release finding Fakhar Zaman guilty of a Level 3 offence for breaching Article 2.14 of the applicable Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support. 

Fakhar Zaman will miss two games - Multan Sultans on Friday, 3 April at the Gaddafi Stadium and Islamabad United on Thursday, 9 April at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi.

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What Is the Ball-Tampering Issue In PSL 2026?

As mentioned above, the incident occurred during Karachi Kings vs Lahore Qalandars match. The Shaheen Afridi-led side struggled with the bat and tumbled for just 128 runs. In reply, Fakhar was tempted to tamper with the ball because of the low total.

Eventually, the incident was caught by the officials, which led to a big controversy. On-field Umpires Shahid Saikat, Faisal Khan Aafreedi, TV Umpire Asif Yaqoob, and fourth Umpire Tariq Rasheed levelled the charge against Fakhar Zaman.

Notably, Match Referee Roshan Mahanama conducted the disciplinary hearing. Lahore Qalandars Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, Team Director Sameen Rana and Team Manager Farooq Anwar were also present during the hearing which is when it was decided to ban Fakhar for two matches.

Fakhar Zaman To Appeal Against The Ban

In the press release issued by PCB, it stated that the southpaw has 48 hours to appeal against the verdict. "Any appeal under this Article must be lodged with the HBL PSL Technical Committee within 48 hours of receipt of the written decision of the Match Referee," read the press release.

At present, there is no update where Fakhar will appeal against the ban but what is certain is the fact that Lahore Qalandars will miss him in the upcoming two matches. Notably, Lahore are placed second on the table with a win and a defeat in two matches.

Talking about Fakhar Zaman, he has scored 54 runs in two innings, averaging 27.00. He has been batting with a strike-rate of 131.71. Notably, the southpaw scored a fifty in the opening game.

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