Ahmed Shehzad charged with ball-tampering, decision awaited on Friday

Pakistan batsman Ahmed Shehzad, who has fallen out of favour, has found himself amidst another controversy. The right-handed batsman has been charged for altering the condition of the ball while leading Central Punjab against Sindh in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. PCB wrote in a media release "Central Punjab captain Ahmed Shehzad has been charged for changing the condition of the ball as per the non-identification process. Decision tomorrow,"

ALSO, READ | IPL Auction 2020: 3 Overseas Players Who Could Be Released By KKR

Here is a look at PCB's tweet:

The incident took place during the first innings of Sindh against Central Punjab at Iqbal Stadium Faisalabad on the second day of play between the two sides. Match referee Nadeem Arshad summoned Shehzad but the decision is set to be announced on Friday. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed the news on Thursday.

ALSO, READ | ICC Mulls Scrapping T20 World Cup Qualifiers For 2021 Event In India

Shehzad is reportedly expected to receive a fine of 50% of his match fees for altering the condition of the ball. This incident has added to the batsman’s poor disciplinary records. Last year, he was banned for four months for violating PCB’s anti-doping rules. He was provisionally suspended on July 10, 2018, after being tested positive for a prohibited substance following a random dope test that was conducted during the Pakistan Cup domestic tournament. This incident had pretty much wrecked his international career as he lost his place in the team.

Shehzad arrived on the international stage in 2009 with a lot of promise but has to live up to the expectations. He was one of the most consistent performers in the domestic circuit back then. The right-handed batsman was highly rated and was consistently compared to the likes of Virat Kohli, Joe Root and Kane Williamson. But, inconsistency has been his nemesis so far.

However, Pakistan recently called him back for the T20I series against Sri Lanka at home. But Shehzad had a poor run in the series and thus lost his spot again for the upcoming series in Australia. He played two of the three games against Sri Lanka and managed to score just 13 and 4.

ALSO, READ | Glenn Maxwell Takes Indefinite Break From Cricket Due To Mental Issues

ALSO, READ | UAE's Ghulam Shabber Becomes 5th Player Under ICC ACU's Investigation