Fakhar Zaman, the opening batsman for Pakistan, has been handed a two-match suspension in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for breaching the code of conduct by tampering with the ball’s condition. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reported that the match referee deemed Fakhar guilty of a level three violation, infringing Article 2.14 of the Code of Conduct during the PSL match between the Lahore Qalandars and the Karachi Kings.
The incident occurred just before the last over of the Karachi Kings’ innings, where umpires penalized the Lahore Qalandars by deducting five runs due to the ball’s condition being altered. The accusation stemmed from observations made by TV umpire Asif Yaqoob, fourth umpire Tariq Rasheed, and on-field umpires Shahid Saikat and Faisal Khan Aafreedi.
In accordance with the Code of Conduct, Fakhar contested the charges, maintaining his innocence throughout the disciplinary process. After a thorough review of the evidence and a private hearing opportunity, match referee Roshan Mahanama presided over the hearing, which included team manager Farooq Anwar, team director Sameen Rana, and Lahore Qalandars’ captain Shaheen Shah Afridi.
The Lahore Qalandars’ next matches are scheduled against the Multan Sultans on April 3 at the Gaddafi Stadium and against Islamabad United on April 9 at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi.
In related news, captain Shaheen Shah Afridi was fined one million rupees by the Lahore Qalandars management for breaching PSL security regulations at the team hotel in Lahore.
Additionally, fast bowler Naseem Shah has faced a hefty fine of 20 million Pakistani rupees ($71,488) from the PCB for a now-deleted social media post that criticized Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. This hefty fine is reportedly one of the largest in Pakistani cricket history, equivalent to nearly eight months of Shah’s central contract earnings.