The Pakistan Cricket Board has suspended Fakhar Zaman for two matches in the ongoing Pakistan Super League after he was found guilty of breaching the league’s Code of Conduct during a fixture between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings.
The incident took place in the final stages of the match on March 29 at Gaddafi Stadium, where on-field umpires penalised Lahore Qalandars by awarding five runs to Karachi Kings and ordered a change of the ball before the last over of the innings.
According to the PCB, Fakhar was charged with a Level 3 offence under Article 2.14, which relates to altering the condition of the ball in contravention of the competition’s playing conditions. The charge was brought forward by umpires Shahid Saikat and Faisal Khan Aafreedi, along with TV umpire Asif Yaqoob and fourth umpire Tariq Rasheed.
Fakhar Zaman denied the allegation and opted for a formal hearing. The proceedings were conducted by match referee Roshan Mahanama, who, after reviewing the evidence and hearing the player’s defence, upheld the charge and imposed a two-match suspension — the maximum penalty for a first-time Level 3 offence.
Officials from Lahore Qalandars, including captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, team director Sameen Rana and manager Farooq Anwar, were present at the hearing.
As a result, Fakhar will miss Lahore Qalandars’ upcoming matches against Multan Sultans on April 3 in Lahore and Islamabad United on April 9 in Karachi.
Under the Code of Conduct, Article 2.14 prohibits actions such as deliberately roughening the ball, applying substances, tampering with the seam, or scratching its surface. The regulations also allow a player to file an appeal within 48 hours of receiving the written decision.
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