Fakhr Zaman has failed in its bid to overturn the suspension. Pakistan Super LeagueThe appellate body has upheld a two-match ban for ball-tampering during a recent match. The Lahore Qalandars opener had challenged the punishment imposed by match referee Roshan Mahnama, but the three-member committee dismissed the appeal after a detailed review of the evidence. “Fakher Zaman has appealed the match referee’s decision to suspend him for two PSL matches for violating Article 2.14 of the Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel during the Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings match at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Sunday, March 29.” The appeal was heard by a technical committee comprising Prof. Javed Malik, Dr. Mamrez Naqshband and Syed Ali Naqi, which reviewed the case afresh before reaching its decision. “The appeal was heard by the PSL Technical Committee today… after conducting a de novo enquiry, reviewing all the evidence and hearing submissions from the parties concerned, the committee has dismissed the appeal and upheld the two-match ban imposed by match referee Roshan Mahanama,” the release added. The allegation relates to Article 2.14, which deals with “altering the condition of the ball in contravention of Article 41.3 of the PSL Playing Conditions”. According to the regulations, a Level 3 offense carries a minimum one-match ban and a maximum two-match suspension. The incident took place in the closing stages of the match against Karachi Kings, when the on-field umpires penalized Lahore Qalandars by conceding five runs to the opposition team. The ball was also changed before the last over. The complaint was made by umpires Shahid Saikat and Faisal Khan Afridi as well as TV umpire Asif Yaqub and fourth umpire Tariq Rasheed. Fakhar denied the allegations and opted for a formal hearing, where he presented his case in the presence of team officials including captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, team director Samin Rana and manager Farooq Anwar. However, with the committee’s decision now final and binding, Fakhar will miss Lahore Qalandars’ matches against Multan Sultans in Lahore on April 3 and Islamabad United on April 9 in Karachi.
