PSL committee upholds two match ban on Fakhar Zaman for ball tampering

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) technical committee has upheld the two match suspension imposed on Lahore Qalandars captain Fakhar Zaman for a ball tampering offence, rejecting the opener’s appeal after reviewing the available evidence.

The decision came after a three member committee hearing , which examined the circumstances surrounding the controversial moment during the PSL match between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings in Lahore . Match referee Roshan Mahanama had earlier charged Zaman with a Level Three offence for allegedly altering the condition of the ball .

After reviewing the case, the committee ruled that the punishment would remain in place , meaning the Pakistan international will miss two crucial league matches for his team.

Zaman will now sit out Lahore Qalandars’ c lash against Multan Sultans on Friday and their April 9 fixture against Islamabad United, dealing a significant blow to the defending champions’ campaign.

The controversy erupted just before the final over of Karachi Kings’ innings in the match. Umpire Faisal Afridi asked Fakhar Zaman, Shaheen Shah Afridi , and fast bowler Haris Rauf to hand over the ball while the players were gathered in a fielding huddle.

Following an inspection conducted by Afridi along with fellow umpire Shujauddaula , the officials ruled that the condition of the ball had been unfairly altered . As a result, they imposed a five run penalty on Lahore Qalandars and replaced the ball.

The penalty proved decisive in the outcome of the match. With five runs added to Karachi Kings’ total , the team required nine runs in the final over and quickly sealed victory by scoring them within the first three deliveries .

Zaman had appealed the decision, arguing that there was no conclusive evidence proving he had tampered with the ball and requesting the suspension be overturned. However, the PSL committee concluded that the match referee’s decision was justified , bringing the controversy to a close while leaving Lahore Qalandars without their captain for the next two fixtures.