Fakhar Zaman was suspended for two matches after umpires ruled ball tampering during a Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 match in Lahore, prompting scrutiny over disciplinary rules.
The incident occurred during a match between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings when officials inspected the ball after noticing irregularities in its condition in play.
On-field umpires Faisal Afridi and Shahid Saikat intervened immediately and awarded five penalty runs to Karachi Kings, altering the match equation during the decisive final over.
The penalty reduced the target to nine runs from six balls, and the side thereafter secured victory by four wickets following the revised requirement comfortably.
Fakhar was charged with a Level 3 offence under PSL regulations and handed a two-match suspension, which he has since formally challenged through official procedures then.
Rules Governing Ball Condition
Officials have not publicly detailed the exact method used, but ball tampering typically involves altering the surface of the ball to influence swing and movement during play.
Cricket laws permit players to shine the ball using sweat or saliva, but prohibit using foreign objects or actions that damage the leather covering surface.
Previous cases show a range of methods, including scratching the seam, applying substances, or using external items to change aerodynamics and gain an unfair advantage.
Historical Cases in International Cricket
One of the earliest high-profile incidents involved England cricketer Michael Atherton at Lord’s in 1994, when he was fined for keeping dirt in his pocket during play in the Test match.
In 2000, Pakistan players Waqar Younis and Azhar Mahmood were penalised in Colombo, Sri Lanka after match officials determined the ball had been deliberately scuffed during triangular match.
Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was involved in a controversial case in 2001 at Port Elizabeth, where he was accused of improper ball cleaning during the second Test against South Africa.
Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar faced sanctions in consecutive years in2002 and 2003, including incidents in Harare and Dambulla, where he was found guilty of scratching the ball.
In 2004, Indian batting great Rahul Dravid was penalised 50% of his match fee during a Test in Brisbane after applying a substance from a lozenge to the surface during play by officials.
A major controversy emerged in 2006 at The Oval involving Pakistan, where the team was accused of ball tampering, becoming the first team in cricket history to forfeit a Test match.
In 2010, Shahid Afridi was banned for two T20I matches after television footage showed him biting the ball during a ODI match against Australia in Perth.
In 2018, Australia faced a scandal in Cape Town when players used sandpaper on the ball, leading to bans for Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft.
Recent cases include players from Sri Lanka and West Indies, with incidents involving Dasun Shanaka, Dinesh Chandimal, and Nicholas Pooran between 2017 and 2019 respectively.
| Player(s) | Team | Venue | Year | Method/Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Atherton | England | Lord’s | 1994 | Dirt in pocket |
| Waqar Younis & Azhar Mahmood | Pakistan | Colombo | 2000 | Ball scuffing |
| Sachin Tendulkar | India | Port Elizabeth | 2001 | Ball cleaning (controversial) |
| Shoaib Akhtar | Pakistan | Harare | 2002 | Scratching ball |
| Shoaib Akhtar | Pakistan | Dambulla | 2003 | Repeat offence |
| Rahul Dravid | India | Brisbane | 2004 | Applying substance |
| Pakistan Team | Pakistan | The Oval | 2006 | Match forfeited |
| Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | Perth | 2010 | Biting ball |
| Faf du Plessis | South Africa | Dubai | 2013 | Zipper contact |
| Vernon Philander | South Africa | Galle | 2014 | Scratching surface |
| Faf du Plessis | South Africa | Hobart | 2016 | Mint/saliva use |
| Dasun Shanaka | Sri Lanka | Nagpur | 2017 | Seam interference |
| Bancroft, Smith, Warner | Australia | Cape Town | 2018 | Sandpaper |
| Dinesh Chandimal | Sri Lanka | Saint Lucia | 2018 | Foreign substance |
| Nicholas Pooran | West Indies | Lucknow | 2019 | Scratching |
| Fakhar Zaman | Pakistan | Lahore | 2026 | PSL Level 3 offence |
