NEW DELHI: Pakistan cricket has been rocked by a ball-tampering scandal in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The major controversy erupted during the match between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings, putting captain Shaheen Afridi, opener Fakhar Zaman and fast bowler Haris Rauf under the scanner.The incident occurred in the final over of the match, with Karachi Kings needing 14 runs off six balls.Haris Rauf was set to bowl the last over, and just before it began, Afridi and Fakhar joined him for a brief discussion to chalk out a plan.What raised eyebrows was Fakhar appearing to be caught on camera altering the ball.On-field umpire Faisal Afridi then called for the ball, inspected it, and held a lengthy discussion with fellow umpire Sharfuddoula of Bangladesh.After deliberation, the umpires concluded that the ball had been deliberately altered and awarded five penalty runs to Karachi Kings, reducing the target to nine runs off six balls. The ball was also changed.Lahore Qalandars eventually lost the match by four wickets.‘UMPIRES NE BOLA SIDE MEIN HO JAAYEIN’After the game, Lahore Qalandars sent their overseas player Sikandar Raza to address the media in the post-match press conference, where questions around the controversy were inevitable.“Umpires ne hume bola tha ki aap side mein ho jaayein because they were talking with the third umpire. Exact reason toh unhi ke paas hoga. Agar aapko clear answer chahiye, you’ll have to ask the umpires jinke paas walkie-talkie thi ya phir third umpire se pooch sakte hain. Unhone bas itna hi kaha tha ki aap side mein ho jaayein. Humse sirf itni request ki gayi thi ki aap log apni field positions par khade rahein, aur captain ko bhi yahi bola gaya tha,” Raza said.“I can only speak for myself — meri taraf se kabhi bhi ball ki condition change karne ka koi intention nahi tha, not even to try. I remember I was trying to shine the ball ya thoda dry karne ki koshish kar raha tha, especially boundary ropes ke paas jahan thodi dew thi. Main long-on pe tha aur wahan thodi si dew thi, toh bas yeh kaha gaya tha ki ball ko shirt ke andar dry karne ki koshish na karein. So we started doing it with the sleeves,” he said.“Ab jo clips chal rahe hain aur jo allegations lag rahe hain, jab tak proper proof nahi aata, I think it’s a big decision to say something like this. Main abhi changing room mein gaya hoon, aur main yeh guarantee de sakta hoon ki mujhe kisi enquiry ke liye nahi bulaya gaya hai,” Raza added.FAKHAR DENIES BALL-TAMPERING CHARGESStar opener Fakhar Zaman was charged on Sunday by match referee Roshan Mahanama with a Level 3 offence under Article 2.14 of the PSL Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. He was found to have violated Article 41.3 of the PSL playing conditions, which prohibits any action that alters the condition of the ball.Appearing before the former Sri Lankan cricketer, Zaman denied the charges against him.The match referee is expected to hold another hearing within the next 48 hours before delivering a verdict.If the offence is confirmed, Zaman — and potentially the Lahore Qalandars as a team — could face serious penalties.

Rameez Raza and Shaheen Afridi (PSL Photo)

NEW DELHI: After the ball-tampering scandal rocked the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Lahore Qalandars captain Shaheen Afridi expected the burning question to come his way – and it did. Following Lahore Qalandars’ defeat, Afridi was asked about the dramatic final over that involved alleged ball tampering by his teammate and star opener Fakhar Zaman.Here’s how the post-match presentation conversation went:Rameez Raza: That last over was quite dramatic, especially with the ball being changed due to suspected ball tampering. Your thoughts on that incident?Afridi: Actually, I don’t know much about it. We’ll have to check what exactly happened on camera. We’ll discuss it and see who did what, because it did hurt us badly. The five penalty runs made a big difference. But right now, we can’t say much until we are sure.The incident took place during a PSL match between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings, with Fakhar finding himself at the centre of the controversy.The issue surfaced when Lahore Qalandars fast bowler Haris Rauf was set to bowl the final over, with Karachi Kings needing 14 runs for victory.Rauf was preparing to bowl when captain Shaheen Afridi and Fakhar joined him for a brief discussion to chalk out a plan for the final over.What raised eyebrows was that Fakhar appeared to be caught on camera altering the ball.On-field umpire Faisal Afridi then called for the ball, inspected it, and held a lengthy discussion with fellow umpire Sharfuddoula of Bangladesh.After deliberation, the umpires concluded that the ball had been deliberately altered and awarded five penalty runs to Karachi, reducing the target to nine runs off the final six balls.The ball was also changed.Lahore Qalandars eventually lost the match by four wickets.

Bangladesh vs Pakistan (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

The Pakistan national cricket team have reportedly filed a complaint with match referee Neeyamur Rashid following a controversial Decision Review System (DRS) incident during the final over of the third ODI against the Bangladesh national cricket team. The dramatic moment occurred during the closing stages of the match, which Bangladesh eventually won by 11 runs to clinch the three-match ODI series 2-1.

Controversy over late Bangladesh review

Pakistan’s complaint revolves around a decision made by on-field umpire Kumar Dharmasena, who allowed Bangladesh to take a review on the penultimate delivery of the match.According to reports by Cricbuzz, the Pakistan team management believes Bangladesh opted for the review after watching a replay on the stadium’s big screen, which they feel goes against the standard DRS protocol.“The Pakistan team management believe Bangladesh took the review after a replay of the delivery flashed up on the big screen and raised the issue with the match referee after the game,” a source said.Pakistan also felt the review was taken outside the 15-second window permitted for teams to signal a DRS challenge.

Coach Mike Hesson meets match referee

Following the match, Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson met with match referee Neeyamur Rashid to formally register the team’s concerns regarding the incident. While the exact outcome Pakistan are seeking from the complaint remains unclear, sources suggest the referee spoke with Hesson and attempted to clarify the situation, indicating that the Bangladesh team did not gain any unfair advantage.What happened in the final over The incident unfolded when Pakistan were chasing 291 runs and required 12 runs from the final two balls with captain Shaheen Shah Afridi at the crease. Bangladesh spinner Rishad Hossain bowled a delivery down the leg side, which Dharmasena initially called a wide. Bangladesh then appealed for LBW, prompting the decision to be reviewed. Although teams cannot directly review a wide call, the LBW review allowed the third umpire to re-examine the delivery.Replays showed a spike on UltraEdge, indicating contact between bat and ball. As a result, the original wide call was overturned. Although Bangladesh ultimately lost the review, the overturned wide significantly reduced Pakistan’s chances of completing the chase.

Bangladesh seal historic series win

On the final delivery, Shaheen Afridi was stumped, confirming Bangladesh’s 11-run victory and sealing a 2–1 ODI series win. The triumph marked Bangladesh’s first ODI series victory over Pakistan in 11 years.

England skipper Harry Brook produced a breathtaking rescue act with a 100 off just 51 balls to steer his side to a thrilling two-wicket win over Pakistan in their Super 8 Group 2 clash at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. Promoted to No. 3 for the first time in his T20I career, Brook smashed 10 fours and four sixes, scoring 41 of England’s 53 Powerplay runs and almost single-handedly keeping his side in the hunt. His innings also made him the first England captain to score a T20 World Cup century.“Whenever we lose, it feels like he’s the one making the difference. But credit where it’s due – he batted brilliantly today. Hopefully, he saves some runs for the game against New Zealand. Especially in that kind of form, he plays all around the ground – 360 degrees – which makes it very challenging to set fields and execute plans. They were smart. They didn’t attack too hard, they just rotated the strike well,” said Salman Agha, reflecting on Brook’s dominance.

The chase began with drama as Shaheen Afridi removed Phil Salt for a golden duck and Jos Buttler under-edged the next delivery for just 2. Shaheen accounted for Bethell as well, finishing with 3 wickets in the Powerplay. But Brook weathered the storm, punishing spin and pace alike. He launched Mohammad Nawaz for 4, 4, and 6 in a single over and smashed Shadab Khan for a 96-metre straight six, effectively turning the contest on its head.“Started well with the bat, but we couldn’t finish the way we wanted. At the end of the day, you have to give credit to the opposition. The way Harry Brook batted was outstanding – he completely took the game away from us,” Agha said after the match, underlining the impact of Brook’s innings.Brook’s century helped England reach 166-8 in 19.1 overs, with Will Jacks adding 28 crucial runs. Pakistan’s Usman Tariq fought valiantly with two key wickets, but Brook remained unflappable, guiding his side to victory with just five balls to spare and securing England’s fifth consecutive men’s T20 World Cup semifinal berth.“It was a mixed surface, but I thought we bowled really well up front. Then Harry came in and played an outstanding innings. We threw everything at him, but he was simply too good for us today,” added Agha, summing up England’s performance and Brook’s match-winning display.Pakistan now need to beat Sri Lanka and hope for favourable results.

Pakistan cricket team (AP/PTI)

Pakistan’s T20 World Cup campaign has reached a critical juncture. A win against Namibia in their final league fixture on Wednesday is non-negotiable if Salman Agha’s men are to keep their Super 8 hopes alive. Anything less, and their tournament ends prematurely.The pressure has mounted quickly. After bold claims that this was a stronger outfit than the one that faltered against India in the Asia Cup, Pakistan suffered a familiar 61-run defeat on Sunday. While their clashes with India in the 2022 and 2024 T20 World Cups were tight, they still fell short. Since the Asia Cup, India have now registered four comfortable wins on the trot, reinforcing Pakistan’s struggles in marquee encounters.

Scrutiny has intensified around senior players Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi. Shaheen failed to control the game in the PowerPlay or at the death, returning figures of 1 for 31 in two overs. Babar’s issues against spin continue to surface — his strike-rate against spin since returning to the T20I side stands at 101.70 — raising questions about balance and intent in the middle order.Selection dilemmas loom. Salman Mirza and Fakhar Zaman are in contention should the management opt for changes. Pakistan’s heavy reliance on spin — 13, 16 and 18 overs across three games — also reflects a side still searching for the right combination.Namibia, though eliminated, are not without motivation. With the 2027 ODI World Cup on the horizon as co-hosts, they are keen to gather momentum. For Pakistan, though, the equation is simple: win or go home.In the other fixture, India face the Netherlands in the night game. Having already secured qualification for the Super 8s with three wins from three matches, India will view this contest as an opportunity to fine-tune combinations and tick a few remaining boxes.Abhishek Sharma is yet to get going in this T20 World Cup, and the team management will be keen for their No. 1 batter to spend valuable time at the crease ahead of the knockout stage. Getting runs under his belt could prove crucial in the business end of the tournament.There could also be changes in the bowling department. Kuldeep Yadav might make way for Arshdeep Singh, who was included as an extra spinner against Pakistan. With qualification already secured, India may use this match to test their bench strength and settle on the most balanced XI for the Super 8s.

Today T20 World Cup matches – Tuesday, 18 February