Senior Pakistan batter Fakhar Zaman is truly facing the heat. The 35-year-old finds himself in the middle of a serious ball-tampering allegation, and if found guilty, he could be suspended for at least one match in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026. The scandal rocked the 11th edition of the PSL on Sunday night after the on-field umpires awarded five penalty runs to Karachi Kings once Lahore Qalandars were found guilty of changing the condition of the ball. The incident took place before the first ball of the final over of the game, where the Kings needed 14 runs.
Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi and Fakhar were in conversation when cameras caught the senior batter holding the ball. However, it remains unclear how its condition changed. The umpires subsequently called for a replacement, which the Karachi batters selected. The decision worked in Karachi’s favour, with the target in the final over reduced to nine off 14, and the chase completed with three balls to spare.
After the match, a Level 3 charge was levelled against Fakhar for allegedly altering the condition of the ball. He denied any wrongdoing during an official meeting with match referee Roshan Mahanama, although the former Sri Lanka batter is expected to deliver the final verdict later this week following another hearing, during which Zaman will again present his case, and the footage will be reassessed.
As it turns out, this is not the first time Zaman has come under scrutiny for ball-tampering allegations. A similar incident was reported during the 2024 T20 World Cup clash between Pakistan and the USA in Dallas, according to Cricbuzz. The report claimed that after Shaheen was hit for a six by Monank Patel in the 13th over, Zaman was seen collecting the ball and tucking it under his jersey. The USA camp alleged that he held it there for a prolonged period, with noticeable finger movements.
‘Not routine shining’
An attempt to shine the ball under a shirt is highly unusual, and what followed raised further eyebrows. The USA, cruising against Pakistan at that stage, suddenly began to struggle as the ball started tailing in and reverse swing came into play.
At the end of the 13th over, the USA needed 56 runs from seven overs. The match went down to the wire and was eventually decided in a Super Over, with the USA getting over the line. However, the ball-tampering issue continued to draw attention.
According to Cricbuzz, members of the USA support staff and some players approached fourth umpire Rod Tucker to raise their concerns. Monank also reportedly documented the matter in his post-match captain’s report, while a verbal complaint was made to match referee, Jeff Crowe. However, no formal charge was levelled at the time, nor was the complaint made public.
