Lahore Qalandars batsman Fakhar Zaman has lost his appeal against a two-match ban for ball tampering during a Pakistan Super League match against Karachi Kings, with the Pakistan Cricket Board confirming the sanction stands.
The decision was announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board on Thursday after the PSL Technical Committee upheld the penalty handed down by match referee Roshan Mahanama. Fakhar exercised his right to appeal under the PSL code of conduct after being handed the maximum penalty for his first Level 3 offense of the 2026 season.
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“After reviewing all the evidence and hearing submissions from relevant persons, the committee dismissed the appeal and upheld the two-match ban,” the PCB said in an official statement. “In accordance with the Code of Conduct, any decision of the PSL Technical Committee shall be the full, final and complete decision on the matter and shall be binding on all parties.”
Fakhar was found guilty of violating Article 41.3 of the PSL game conditions that involve changing the state of the ball to gain an unfair advantage during a match. A level 3 offense results in a suspension of between one and two matches for the first offence, with the match referee opting for the maximum sanction following a hearing in which Fakhar contested the charge.
The incident took place on Sunday night during Lahore Qalandars’ four-wicket defeat of Karachi Kings in a game that went all the way to the final. With Karachi needing 14 runs to win, Fakhar was seen in discussion with fast bowler Haris Rauf and captain Shaheen Shah Afridi near the top of the run-up. During this exchange, the ball passed through several hands and attracted the attention of the on-field umpires.
Umpire Faisal Afridi claimed the ball from Rauf and conducted an inspection, followed by a lengthy discussion with the second on-field umpire Sharfuddoulou. The officials concluded that the condition of the ball had been deliberately altered. As a result, they awarded Karachi five penalty runs and replaced the ball before the start of the final.
The penalty proved to be crucial in shaping the outcome of the match. Karachi Kings seized the momentum as Abbas Afridi hit a four and a six to complete a thrilling chase in 19.3 overs to seal a four-wicket win with three balls to spare.
Fakhar’s appeal was heard by the PSL Technical Committee comprising Professor Javed Malik, Dr. Mumraiz Naqshband and Syed Ali Naqi. After conducting a de novo inquiry, reviewing all available evidence and hearing submissions from the relevant parties, the Committee decided to dismiss the appeal and uphold the original sanction.
The decision means Fakhar will not be available for Lahore Qalandars’ upcoming matches against Multan Sultans on April 3 and Islamabad United on April 9.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
02 Apr 2026 23:14 IST
