By Staff Reporter
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will take direct control of the Multan Sultans franchise for the upcoming 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), following a bitter ownership dispute, board chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Sunday.
The move stems from a fallout with former owner Ali Khan Tareen, whose contract was not renewed after he publicly criticised the league’s management, prompting legal notices from the PCB over alleged breaches. Multan Sultans, added as the PSL’s sixth team in 2018 and bought for a premium price, claimed the title in 2021 and made several finals, but relations soured over the past year amid Tareen’s complaints about transparency, governance and communication. The PCB hit back with accusations of contract violations, while Tareen vowed legal countermeasures and opted against renewal on principle.
At a press conference in Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, Naqvi said the PCB “will operate Multan Sultans itself”. “After the end of the next PSL season, God-willing, we will hand it over to its next owners after an auction process.”
He said an “acting head”, ideally a professional cricketer, would be named within eight to 10 days to manage the team. The shift comes as the PSL gears up for expansion to eight teams in 2026, its first major overhaul since Multan joined seven years ago. An auction for the two new franchises is set for January 8 in Islamabad, with 10 shortlisted bidders from Pakistan and abroad.
Speculation has swirled that Tareen might bid for one, possibly indirectly, despite his rift with the PCB. Naqvi played down any barriers. “Ali has done a lot of work on Multan Sultans. Unfortunately, whatever happened is an issue I don’t want to discuss. But technically, we will absolutely welcome him. If he wants to take a new team, he should definitely take it.”
The other five franchises renewed deals earlier this year at updated valuations, but Multan will skip auction ahead of the next season to ensure stability. Naqvi blamed procurement rules for the delay in selling it. “There is a lot of interest in it right now. But in Pakistan, there are PPRA rules that have to be followed. “There is a process: first, advertise internationally, then I think a two-month wait, then everything.” So it won’t be possible to do it because that process would have to be complete. This one (new teams) was already started much earlier. For that, the full process has to be done. So we have already started the process. As soon as it finishes, we will sell it immediately.”
The 11th PSL runs from March 26 to May 3, clashing again with the Indian Premier League as organisers push for star foreign players with higher pay and prizes. Naqvi said talks continue with stakeholders to advance the start to March 23, aligning the opener with Pakistan Day. He also named ex-captain Wasim Akram as the league’s brand ambassador, effective January 1.
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