PSL Ball-Tampering Charge Rocks Fakhar, Lahore Qalandars
The final over of Sunday’s PSL clash between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings wasn’t just dramatic — it turned into a full-blown controversy. With Karachi needing 14 runs to win, umpire Faisal Afridi pulled the ball from Haris Rauf’s hands and called for an inspection. After a lengthy discussion with fellow umpire Sharfuddoula, the officials ruled the ball had been tampered with. Five penalty runs were awarded to Karachi, the ball was replaced — and Karachi won by four wickets with three balls to spare.
Fakhar Zaman, who had been handling the ball alongside Rauf and captain Shaheen Afridi in the moments before the inspection, was formally charged with a Level 3 offence by the PCB. A first violation carries a one or two-match ban. Fakhar flatly denied everything. “Fakhar denied the charge levelled against him during a disciplinary hearing led by match referee Roshan Mahanama,” the PCB confirmed. Shaheen was equally evasive: “I don’t know about this — we’ll see if it’s there on camera and discuss it.” A second hearing is scheduled within 48 hours. The cameras were rolling the whole time.