NEW DELHI: Pakistan cricket has been rocked by the Pakistan Super League (PSL) ball-tampering scandal. The major controversy erupted during the match between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings when captain Shaheen Afridi, opener Fakhar Zaman and fast bowler Haris Rauf came under the scanner.The incident occurred in the final over of the match when Karachi Kings needed 14 runs off six balls.Haris Rauf was ready to bowl the last over and just before it started, Afridi and Fakhar joined him for a short discussion to outline the plan.
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Axar Patel questions Impact Player rule: ‘All-rounders lose value’ What raised eyebrows was Fakhar looking like he was caught on camera changing the ball.On-field umpire Faisal Afridi then claimed the ball, inspected it and had a long discussion with fellow umpire Sharfuddoulou of Bangladesh.After deliberation, the umpires concluded that the ball had been deliberately tampered with and awarded five penalty runs to Karachi Kings, reducing the target to nine runs off six balls. The ball was also replaced.Lahore Qalandars eventually lost the match by four wickets.‘UMPIRES NE BOLA SIDE MEIN HO JAAYEIN’After the match, Lahore Qalandars sent their overseas player Sikandar Raza to address the media at the post-match press conference where questions surrounding the controversy were inevitable.“The umpires told us you were on your side because they spoke to the third umpire. They will have the exact reason for that. If you want a clear answer, you’ll have to ask the umpires who have walkie-talkies and then you can ask the third umpire. They just said you were on their side. The only requirement we made was that you said you were here on your field diary and that you were sitting.“I can only speak for myself – I never intended to change the condition of the ball, I never tried to. I remember trying to shine the ball or dry it a bit, especially near the boundary ropes where there was a bit of dew. There was a main long-on and there was a bit of dew, so I just said don’t try to dry the ball under the shirt. So we started doing it with the sleeves.”“Now when the clips are running and allegations are being made, when no proper proof has come, I think it is a big decision to say something like that. I just went to the dressing room and I can guarantee that I have not been called for any investigation,” Raza added.FAKHAR STRUGGLES BALL TAMPERING FEESStar opener Fakhar Zaman was charged with a Level 3 offense under Article 2.14 of the PSL Code of Conduct for Players and Support Staff by match referee Roshan Mahanama on Sunday. He was found to have breached Article 41.3 of the PSL Playing Conditions, which prohibits any activity that alters the condition of the ball.Appearing before the former Sri Lankan cricketer, Zaman denied the allegations against him.The match referee is expected to hold a further hearing in the next 48 hours before issuing a verdict.If found guilty, Zaman – and potentially Lahore Qalandars as a team – could face serious punishment.
