PSL 2026: Lahore Qalandars penalized for ball tampering
What's the story
In a major controversy, Lahore Qalandars were slapped with a five-run penalty for ball tampering during their Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 match against Karachi Kings. The incident occurred just before the final over of the game, which was ultimately won by the Kings with three balls to spare. The penalty changed the course of the match and left Qalandars captain Shaheen Afridi fuming. Notably, the Kings had a hard time while chasing 129 in the game.
Match dynamics
Players handled ball before umpire inspection
As the second innings neared its end, Karachi Kings needed 14 runs to win with Haris Rauf set to bowl the final over for Qalandars. Afridi, Rauf, and Fakhar Zaman briefly gathered at the bowler's run-up where they all handled the ball. Umpire Faisal Afridi watched closely and immediately called for an inspection of the ball after a lengthy discussion with square-leg umpire Sharfuddoula.
Decision impact
Five run penalty awarded to Kings
After a detailed inspection, the umpires concluded that Qalandars had intentionally altered the ball's condition. They imposed a five-run penalty on Kings and changed the ball immediately. The decision left Afridi furious as it reduced Kings's target to just nine runs. At the post-match presentation, Afridi appeared confused about why they were awarded penalty runs saying "We'll see [what the umpires say]."
Match outcome
Abbas Afridi finishes the game for Kings
The penalty proved crucial as Kings quickly turned the game in their favor. Although Khushdil Shah was dismissed on the first ball, Rauf bowled a wide on his next delivery. Abbas Afridi then hit a four and six to end the match in style, giving Kings a dramatic victory. With this win, they maintained their perfect record this season with two wins in two matches while Qalandars have now split their two games.
Captain's reaction
Shaheen Afridi will review camera footage
After the match, Afridi was asked about his team's five-run penalty but he didn't give a clear answer. He said they would go back to the dressing room and check if there was any evidence of intentional ball tampering. "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 taken and we can't do anything," Afridi said at the post-match presentation.