LAHORE: Lahore Qalandars’ Fakhar Zaman faces a suspension of up to two Pakistan Super League matches after being charged for changing the condition of the ball during the match against Karachi Kings on Sunday.

The Pakistan Cricket Board, in a statement released late Sunday evening, confirmed that Fakhar has been charged by on-field umpires Faisal Afridi and Sharfuddoula, with a Level 3 offence under Article 2.14 of the PSL Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, for violating Article 41.3 of the PSL 11 Playing Conditions, which makes it an offence to take any action that changes the condition of the ball.

Fakhar denied the charge during a disciplinary hearing led by Match Referee Roshan Mahanama. Another hearing is set to take place within 48 hours in which video evidence is expected to be used, following which the Match Referee will announce his verdict.

If found guilty, Fakhar will have 48 hours to appeal to the PSL Technical Committee, which in turn will have 48 hours to hear the appeal. The Level 3 offence carries a minimum of one and a maximum of two match suspensions for a first offence.

Television replays had shown Fakhar handling the ball in the presence of captain Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf at the end of the 19th over of Karachi Kings’ innings. Umpire Faisal Afridi intervened, checked the condition of the ball alongside Sharfuddoula, before changing it and signalling five penalty runs.

Karachi Kings, who needed 14 runs before the incident, reached their target on the second and third deliveries of the final over when Abbas Afridi struck Haris Rauf for a four and a six.

In an unrelated incident, Karachi Kings’ Hasan Ali was fined 10 per cent of his match fee for using inappropriate language after dismissing Haseebullah Khan in the 19th over of Lahore Qalandars’ innings.