Fakhar Zaman handed two-match ban for ball tampering

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Tuesday (March 31) that Fakhar Zaman has been found guilty of a Level 3 breach of the tournament's Code of Conduct and has been suspended for two matches in PSL 2026. During the matchup between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings at the Gaddafi Stadium on March 29, the charge refers to a violation of Article 2.14, which deals with altering the condition of the ball. On-field umpires penalized Lahore Qalandars by five runs and ordered a ball change prior to the final over of Karachi Kings' innings, causing the incident. Along with TV umpire Asif Yaqoob and fourth umpire Tariq Rasheed, the on-field umpires Shahid Saikat and Faisal Khan Aafreedi charged Fakhar. He chose to contest the charge rather than deny it, which resulted in a full disciplinary hearing. After hearing Fakhar's argument and looking over the evidence, match referee Roshan Mahanama, who conducted the hearing, made his decision. Manager Farooq Anwar, team director Sameen Rana, and captain Shaheen Shah Afridi of Lahore Qalandars were in attendance. A sanction for a Level 3 offense can range from a one-match suspension to a two-match ban, with Fakhar receiving the maximum penalty. He will now be unable to play for Lahore Qalandars in their upcoming matches against Islamabad United on April 9 in Karachi and Multan Sultans on April 3 in Lahore. Within 48 hours of receiving the written verdict from the match referee, players can file an appeal with the tournament's Technical Committee in accordance with the PSL Code of Conduct.