A ball-tampering controversy has surfaced in the Pakistan Super League following Lahore Qalandars’ match against Karachi Kings at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday, with Fakhar Zaman denying the charge against him.

Zaman was charged with a Level 3 offence under Article 2.14 of the PSL Code of Conduct after match referee Roshan Mahanama found a possible breach of playing conditions that prohibit altering the condition of the ball.

The batter appeared before the referee and denied the allegation.

Another hearing is expected within 48 hours, after which a verdict will be announced. A Level 3 offence carries a minimum one-match ban.

The Pakistan Cricket Board said: “Fakhar denied the charge levelled against him during a disciplinary hearing led by the match referee Roshan Mahanama. Another hearing is set to take place within the next 48 hours, after which the match referee will share his verdict.”

The incident happened just before the final over of Karachi Kings’ innings, when they needed 14 runs to win.

Television footage showed Zaman in discussion with Haris Rauf and Lahore captain Shaheen Shah Afridi near the bowler’s run-up, with all three handling the ball.

On-field umpire Faisal Afridi took the ball and consulted his colleague Sharfuddoula. The umpires ruled that the ball’s condition had been deliberately altered, awarded five penalty runs to Karachi Kings and replaced the ball.

The penalty reduced the target to nine runs in the final over, which Karachi chased successfully.

Abbas Afridi sealed the win with a four and a six off Rauf after a wide delivery earlier in the over.

The decision has led to debate over whether responsibility can be assigned to a single player, as multiple Lahore Qalandars players were seen handling the ball during the exchange.

The PCB is expected to review broadcast footage and the match referee’s report before the next hearing. The episode has drawn comparisons with the Australian ball-tampering scandal 2018, in which David Warner and Steve Smith were handed bans.

After the match, Shaheen said: “I don't know about this, and we'll see if it's there in the camera and discuss what it is. Actually, five runs are taken and we can't do anything,” he said.

All-rounder Sikandar Raza also responded to the incident:

“You have to ask the umpires why they changed the ball. When we asked them why they changed the ball, they told us to go away. When they were making the decision, the umpires requested us, even the captain, to go back to the fielding positions,” said Raza.

“I can only speak about myself. There was never any attempt on my part to change the condition of the ball, or even to try. All I remember is that when I was trying to dry the ball and make it shine, the umpires asked us not to dry it under the shirt. Who they are accusing, unless we don't see the proof, I think it's a big decision. I have not been called for an inquiry,” he added.

India's former cricketer Ajay Jadeja posted on X: "BIGGEST HUMILIATION FOR PSL AND PAKISTANI FANS. Fakhar Zaman and Shaheen Shah Afridi did the ball tampering on live camera & got penalized by 5 runs. PSL is a league where the ball gets pink and now the ball gets tempered on live cam."

(With inputs from PTI)