Lahore Qalandars batter Fakhar Zaman has been formally charged with ball-tampering following Sunday’s Pakistan Super League (PSL) clash against Karachi Kings, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed.

The contentious incident unfolded during the final over of the match, with Karachi Kings requiring 14 runs for victory.

Fakhar, alongside Lahore captain Shaheen Afridi and fast bowler Haris Rauf, engaged in a brief discussion, during which Fakhar and Rauf were observed passing the ball between them.

An umpire subsequently approached Rauf to inspect the ball. After consulting with the square-leg umpire, officials imposed a five-run penalty on Karachi and ordered the ball to be replaced.

This penalty proved pivotal, as Karachi Kings successfully chased down their target of 129 with three balls remaining. Abbas Afridi sealed a four-wicket victory for his side with a boundary and a six.

Fakhar has since denied the accusation.

“Fakhar denied the charge levelled against him during a disciplinary hearing led by the match referee Roshan Mahanama,” the PCB stated. A further hearing is scheduled within the next 48 hours, after which the match referee is expected to deliver a verdict.

Lahore captain Shaheen Afridi commented on the situation post-match, saying: “I don’t know about this, and we’ll see if it’s there in the camera and discuss it.”

If found guilty of a first offence in the PSL, Fakhar could face a ban of one or two matches.

The incident draws parallels with the 2018 ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, which led to lengthy bans for Australian players David Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft.

It also comes at a time when fans have been told to stay at home rather than attending matches at this year’s competition.

This instruction was given to supporters ahead of the tournament getting underway last week after the Iran war triggered a fuel crisis in Pakistan.