- By Namrata Vijay
- Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:58 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
PSL 2026: Pakistan's star opener Fakhar Zaman was given a two-match ban on Tuesday after being found guilty of the PSL ball-tampering controversy, and that has put Pakistan cricket under the spotlight. "Fakhar Zaman has been suspended for two HBL PSL matches after he was found guilty of a Level 3 offense for breaching Article 2.14 of the applicable Code of Conduct for Players and Players' support personnel during the Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings match on Sunday", a statement released by PSL said.
"Match referee Roshan Mahanama conducted the disciplinary hearing and determined after reviewing all the evidence.
Kings had won the match with three balls remaining, but it became controversial after the 19th over during the second innings as Karachi needed 14 runs to win in the last over when Haris Rauf began to bowl for the Qalandars.
Zaman was seen talking to Haris Rauf and Lahore Qalandars skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi. And after a short while, the on-field umpire Faisal Afridi had urged them to bowl.
Post a long discussion between Afridi and square-leg umpire Sharfaouddula, the umpire decided that Qalandars had deliberately changed the condition of the ball and gave five runs to Kings. Moreover, the ball was also changed after that incident.
The umpires then punished Lahore Qalandars with five runs for changing the ball's appearance and replacing it. Then Karachi Kings needed nine more runs to win in the last over, which they chased quite comprehensively.
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Star all-rounder Abbas Afridi took the team across the line by smashing a four and a six in Haris Rauf's over when he bowled a wide delivery.