Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman was handed a two-match ban on Tuesday after being found guilty in the PSL ‘ball-tampering’ controversy that rocked Pakistan cricket.“Fakhar Zaman has been suspended for two HBL PSL matches after being found guilty of a Level 3 offense for breaching Article 2.14 of the relevant Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Team Personnel during Sunday’s Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings match,” the PSL said in a press release.“Match referee Roshan Mahanama conducted a disciplinary hearing and decided after reviewing all the evidence,” the statement added.
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Impact Player Rule: Game Changer or All-Round Killer? The match, which the Kings sealed with three balls to spare, became a major flashpoint at the end of the 19th over of the second innings, with Karachi requiring 14 runs from the last over as Haris Rauf prepared to bowl for the Qalandars.Zaman was seen having a discussion with Haris Rauf and Lahore Qalandars captain Shaheen Shah Afridi before the end. Shortly after, umpire Faisal Afridi called for the ball. After a lengthy look and detailed discussion between Afridi and square-leg umpire Sharfuddoulou, the umpires finally appeared to have decided that the Qalandars had deliberately changed the condition of the ball and awarded five penalty runs to the Kings. In addition, the ball was immediately replaced.The umpires penalized Lahore Qalandars five runs for changing the condition of the ball and subsequently replaced it. Thus, Karachi Kings needed nine runs in the final, which they successfully chased.All-rounder Abbas Afridi sealed the victory by hitting Rauf for a four and a six after the bowler sent a wide.See also: IPL Live Score
