LAHORE: Hard hitting batter Fakhar Zaman has received a two-match suspension after he became involved in a ball-tampering scandal during Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 match. However, Fakhar has vehemently denied the allegations and filed an appeal against the decision.
The PSL Technical Committee found that Fakhar Zaman had practiced ball tampering during the sixth match between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings. As a consequence, Karachi Kings were awarded five penalty runs. The committee alleged that Fakhar had used illegal methods to modify the ball’s condition, a violation of cricket’s strict regulations.
On the other hand, Fakhar Zaman rejected the accusation, asserting that he was not involved in any tampering activities. He confirmed through his statement that he had not changed the ball in any manner. The cricketer has since contacted the PSL Technical Committee to explain his stance and lodged an official appeal against the suspension.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that Fakhar Zaman has been charged under Level 3 of the code of conduct, and as a result, he will miss matches against Multan Sultans and Islamabad United. Fakhar maintained that he did not commit any wrongdoing, and he declared that the charges against him were false after the match hearing which took place directly after the game.
PSL 11: Multan Sultans defeat Hyderabad Kingsmen
Earlier, in the eighth match of the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Multan Sultans triumphed over Hyderabad Kingsmen by 6 wickets.
The match took place at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, where Multan Sultans successfully chased down the daunting target of 226 runs set by Hyderabad, losing just 4 wickets in the 19th over.
The standout performer for Multan Sultans was opener Sahibzada Farhan, who played a remarkable innings, scoring an unbeaten century off 55 balls. His aggressive performance included 7 towering sixes and as many fours. He received solid support from experienced batsman Steve Smith, who contributed 46 runs. Other batsmen in the lineup, such as Shan Masood, added 29 runs, while Josh Phillips and captain Ashton Turner could not make significant contributions.
For Hyderabad Kingsmen, Saim Ayub was the pick of the bowlers, taking two wickets, while Mahesh Thakshana and Hassan Khan each claimed one wicket. Despite their efforts, the Kingsmen bowlers could not prevent the Sultans from successfully chasing the target, resulting in Hyderabad’s third consecutive defeat in the tournament.
Earlier in the match, Hyderabad Kingsmen batted first, scoring a total of 225 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in their allotted overs. Moaz Sadaqat led the charge with a spectacular innings of 62 runs off just 26 balls, and Sharjeel Khan contributed 51 runs, putting the team in a strong position. However, their efforts were overshadowed by Sahibzada Farhan’s century. Other notable performances from the Kingsmen included Saim Ayub with 27 runs, Usman Khan with 25 runs, and Irfan Niazi with 22 runs. Captain Marnus Labuschagne was dismissed for just 8 runs, while Syed Saad Ali added 23 runs.
For Multan Sultans, Mohammad Wasim Jr. took two wickets, while Peter Siddle and Ashton Turner each secured one wicket.
At the start of the match, Hyderabad Kingsmen captain Marnus Labuschagne won the toss and chose to bat first. In a separate match yesterday, the game between Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi was abandoned due to rain, and both teams were awarded 1 point each.
