PSL Ball-Tampering Row Just For ‘Grabbing Headlines’? Pakistan Great Drops Bombshell

Former Pakistan cricket team skipper Rashid Latif believe that ball-tampering scandal in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) was created just to ‘grab headlines’. The incident took place during the match between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings when the on-field umpire Faisal Afridi took the ball from Haris Rauf for inspection after it exchanged hands between Shaheen Afridi and Fakhar Zaman. Faisal had a long conversation with his fellow umpire Sharfuddoula and decided to call for a replacement ball. The umpires were of the opinion that the ball was tampered with and things got worse when Shaheen struggled to provide a clear answer when asked by Pakistan great Ramiz Raja during the post-match presentation ceremony.

In a video on YouTube, Latif claimed that sometimes controversies are created in order to make competitions popular and added that with the ball-tampering row gaining traction, PSL will be dominating the headlines.

“I don’t want to talk about ball tampering. Otherwise I will have to talk about my playing days as it will be unfair to just talk about the current players. If any film is coming out and you know that it will be flop, it is made into a controversy. Like they did with The Hundred when they said that no Pakistan player will be playing. No one knew The Hundred before that. Now there is a controversy in PSL and it will become headlines. This news will not be relevant for more than 24 hours,” he said.

Fakhar Zaman, pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi and Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza have denied ball-tampering charges, stemming from the Pakistan Super League match between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings at the Gaddafi Stadium.

The 35-year-old Zaman was charged on Sunday night 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.

Zaman 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 charge relates to an incident just before the final over of the Karachi Kings’ innings, when they needed 14 runs to win.

Zaman was seen in discussion with Haris Rauf and Qalandars’ captain Afridi before the over.

Shortly thereafter, umpire Faisal Afridi requested the ball and, after inspecting it with his colleague, determined that its condition had been altered.

The match referee is expected to hold another hearing within the next 48 hours before delivering a verdict.

The umpires penalised Qalandars five runs for altering the condition of the ball and subsequently replaced it. This left Karachi Kings needing nine runs in the final over, which they successfully chased down.

(With PTI inputs)