Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman (AP/PTI) Fakhar Zaman has been embroiled in controversy after being handed a two-match ban in the Pakistan Super League for allegedly tampering with the ball. The punishment was confirmed by the Pakistan Cricket Board, which said the veteran batsman was found guilty of a Level 3 offense under Article 2.14 of the Code of Conduct during Lahore Qalandars’ clash against Karachi Kings on Sunday. The incident in question took place moments before the final end of the Karachi Kings innings. The on-field umpires decided to penalize Lahore Qalandars for five runs and replaced the ball, indicating suspected tampering. The allegations were made by on-field officials Shahid Saikat and Faisal Khan Aafreedi along with TV umpire Asif Yaqoob and fourth umpire Tariq Rasheed. However, Fakhar strongly denied any wrongdoing. According to a report in Geo News, citing sources, “Fakhar Zaman has challenged his two-match suspension over allegations of ball-tampering during a Pakistan Super League (PSL) match against Karachi Kings.” He formally contested the allegations during a full disciplinary hearing conducted in accordance with the Code of Conduct. Match referee Roshan Mahanama oversaw the proceedings and reached the final decision after examining all the available evidence and giving Fakhar an opportunity to present his case in person. Lahore Qalandars captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, team director Sameen Rana and team manager Farooq Anwar also attended the hearing. This episode adds to a turbulent phase around the franchise. Lahore Qalandars are scheduled to face Multan Sultans on April 3 at the Gaddafi Stadium, followed by a clash with Islamabad United on April 9 in Karachi. Disciplinary problems continued to arise off the pitch. The franchise management fined captain Shaheen Shah Afridi one million rupees for breaching the PSL security protocol at the team hotel in Lahore. The PCB disciplinary committee also imposed a hefty fine of Rs 20 crore on fast bowler Naseem Shah for a controversial tweet that violated the terms of his central contract. With numerous incidents happening in quick succession, Lahore Qalandars are now facing problems both on and off the field at the start of the PSL season.
