Pakistan cricket team batter Fakhar Zaman has maintained his denial of involvement in the alleged ball-tampering incident that rocked the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) and has, accordingly, reportedly filed an appeal against the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to suspend him for two PSL matches.
According to a Geo News report, Fakhar filed an appeal against the decision. The development came a day after PCB found him guilty of altering the condition of the ball during Lahore Qalandars’ four-wicket loss to Karachi Kings on Sunday at the Gaddafi Stadium. In fact, the 35-year-old has denied the charge and contested it at a disciplinary hearing, but match referee Roshan Mahanama upheld the offence and imposed the maximum sanction permitted.
“Fakhar Zaman has been suspended for two HBL PSL matches after he was found guilty of a Level III offence,” the PCB said in a statement on Tuesday. He was charged under Article 2.14 of the Code, which relates to “changing the condition of the ball in breach of clause 41.3 of the PSL Playing Conditions.”
Sources confirmed to the Pakistani media outlet that the Lahore Qalandars batter has “submitted an appeal against the suspension to the PSL Technical Committee.”
Was Fakhar involved in ball-tampering incident?
The episode happened at the start of the final over of Karachi’s chase in Lahore, when Lahore captain Shaheen Shah Afridi and fast bowler Haris Rauf were involved in a discussion with Fakhar. It was then that the batter was caught on camera allegedly tampering with the ball.
Having suspected it, the on-field umpire asked Rauf for the ball, and after a prolonged discussion with his colleague, Lahore was penalised five runs, and the ball was changed.
Based on PCB’s decision, Fakhar will miss Lahore’s next two matches. They are scheduled to face Multan Sultans on Friday, 3 April, at Gaddafi Stadium, followed by a fixture against Islamabad United on Thursday, 9 April, at the National Bank Stadium, Karachi.
