PSL Ball-Tampering Row: Fakhar Zaman Charged By PCB, Yet Set To Evade Serious Punishment

Veteran Pakistan batter Fakhar Zaman is set to evade serious punishment despite being caught tampering with the ball on camera during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) game on Sunday. Playing for the Lahore Qalandars, Zaman appeared to press something onto the ball after it was passed to him by skipper Shaheen Afridi and teammate Haris Rauf. The umpire immediately stepped in, changed the ball, and handed the Lahore franchise a five-run penalty. Although the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has charged Zaman with ball-tampering, the punishment is not expected to be severe.

When Australian cricketers David Warner, Steve Smith, and Cameron Bancroft were found guilty of tampering with the ball in a Test match against South Africa, they were banned for up to a year. However, Zaman is unlikely to face such a sanction because of the PSL's guidelines for such offences.

According to the league's code of conduct, a Level 3 breach carries a minimum ban of one match and a maximum of two. Ball-tampering falls under a Level 3 offence. Hence, Zaman is not expected to face a ban of more than two matches.

BIGGEST HUMILIATION FOR PSL AND PAKISTANI FANS

Fakhar Zaman and Shaheen Shah Afridi did the ball tampering on live camera & got penalized by 5 runs

PSL is a league where the ball gets pink and now the ball gets tempered on live cam #MIvsKKR pic.twitter.com/U9MtHxmLOz

— Ajay Jadeja (@AjayJadeja171) March 29, 2026

The Karachi Kings, who needed 14 runs to win off the final over of Sunday's match, were awarded five penalty runs when the umpires decided that Pakistan international Fakhar had altered the condition of the ball. The ball was changed at the request of the Kings, who then knocked off the nine remaining runs they needed to secure victory.

Umpires on field had identified the highlighted area to be tampered on and next to the seam on the ball in pictures below.

From the look the damage is heavy and Fakhar Zaman was charged however he has denied. Furthermore review in 48 hours will decide.

Fakhar Zaman is one of… pic.twitter.com/oFBF7iN379

— Syed Majeed (@Cricket_Plus_US) March 30, 2026

Fakhar Zaman Denies Ball-Tampering Charge

Fakhar was charged with violating the playing condition "which makes it an offence to take any action which changes the condition of the ball," said a PSL statement on Monday.

"Fakhar denied the charge levelled against him during a disciplinary hearing led by match referee Roshan Mahanama," the PSL added. "Another hearing is set to take place within the next 48 hours, after which the match referee will share his verdict."

Topics mentioned in this article

Fakhar Zaman Shaheen Afridi Lahore Qalandars Pakistan Super League Pakistan Cricket Board Cricket