Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi asserted that the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has become the premier destination for investment and predicted it will soon become the world's number one league.

During a meeting of the PCB Board of Governors on Saturday (April 4) in Lahore, the board formally approved the annual audited financial statements for the 2024–25 fiscal year.

"The PSL has now become the best market for investment. The time is not far when the PSL will become the world's number one league," Naqvi said.

The Board of Governors appreciated the record-breaking auction for the 11th edition of the PSL, which saw bids reaching new highs.

Naqvi also expressed high confidence in the trajectory of the league, citing that the response from investors is a clear signal of Pakistan cricket's bright future on the global stage.

The PSL 2026 season was marred by a significant ball-tampering controversy on March 29 when Lahore Qalandars player Fakhar Zaman was found guilty of a Level 3 offense against Karachi Kings, resulting in a two-match ban. Umpires imposed a five-run penalty, and the ball was replaced, severely impacting the match's conclusion.

Meanwhile, sources revealed to PTI that umpires were monitoring Fakhar from the 13th over onwards before they changed the ball and awarded five runs penalty to Kings.

"The Karachi Kings management had brought to the notice of the fourth umpire and subsequently the match referee from the 13th over onwards that they suspected Fakhar was doing something to the ball," said a source.

The source claimed the referee had instructed the on-field umpires to keep a close eye on the Qalandars team, particularly Fakhar.

"Before the final over, umpire Faisal Afridi had already been watching closely. He asked for the ball and on inspecting it suspected it had been tampered with a foreign object," he added.

"That is why the decision to change the ball and award penalty runs was given," he stated.

Fakhar Zaman’s appeal against a two-match ban for ball-tampering was rejected by the PSL technical committee, which upheld the decision due to sufficient circumstantial evidence.

The southpaw sat out the Friday (April 3) night game against Multan Sultans and is set to miss the April 9 fixture against Islamabad United.

(With PTI Inputs)