Fakhar Zaman handed two-match ban for ball tampering

Fakhar Zaman has been suspended for two matches of PSL 2026 after being found guilty of a Level 3 breach of the tournament's Code of Conduct, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Tuesday (March 31).

The charge relates to a violation of Article 2.14, which deals with altering the condition of the ball, during Lahore Qalandars' fixture against Karachi Kings at the Gaddafi Stadium on March 29. The incident occurred in the closing stages of the match when on-field umpires penalised Lahore Qalandars five runs and ordered a ball change ahead of the final over of Karachi Kings' innings.

Fakhar was charged by the on-field umpires Shahid Saikat and Faisal Khan Aafreedi, along with TV umpire Asif Yaqoob and fourth umpire Tariq Rasheed. He denied the offence and opted to contest the charge, which led to a full disciplinary hearing.

Match referee Roshan Mahanama, who conducted the hearing, arrived at the decision after reviewing the evidence and hearing Fakhar's submission. Lahore Qalandars captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, team director Sameen Rana and manager Farooq Anwar were present during the proceedings.

A Level 3 offence carries a sanction ranging from a minimum one-match ban to a maximum of two matches, with Fakhar handed the upper limit of the penalty. He will now miss Lahore Qalandars' upcoming fixtures against Multan Sultans on April 3 in Lahore and Islamabad United on April 9 in Karachi.

Under the PSL Code of Conduct, players have the right to appeal such decisions to the tournament's Technical Committee within 48 hours of receiving the match referee's written verdict.