Ali Tareen pulls out of PSL 2026 Auction, deepening rift with PCB ahead of franchise bidding

Ali Tareen, the former proprietor of Multan Sultans, shocked the cricketing world in Pakistan by announcing that he was pulling out of bidding for a new team in the PSL 2026 expansion lot only hours before bidding commenced. Although his company, DSM Builders, had already been approved as a possible bidder for one of the two new teams , making this announcement even more shocking it is Tareen himself who confirmed the news; thus, ending any speculation regarding whether he would be participating in the Pakistan Super League again. The event has once again reinforced the difficult relationship between Tareen and the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board), which has only gotten worse in the past 12 months.

Tareen made this announcement after losing control over managing the Multan Sultans after the end of the 2025 season. Although, many believed that he would try to reclaim his spot in the league through the expansion auction since he was a major force behind the success of Multan, he made a decision that many did not expect. With Tareen in charge, the Sultans won their first ever PSL title in 2021, and they consistently appeared in the finals, creating a large following and branding themselves as one of the top teams.

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With Tareen's popularity and successful history, it was anticipated that his potential return would be a significant boon to the development of the league. With strong support from South Punjab, which is geographically earmarked for the Multan franchise, Tareen was viewed as a passionate and outspoken team owner. His imminent presence was expected to add both a commercial and emotional level of investment to the new chapter of the PSL. Tareen's late exit disrupts the anticipated dynamics of the auction and introduces new governance issues, as well as relationship issues, in the league's hierarchy.

Ali Tareen last-minute withdrawal shocks cricket world

After announcing on social media that he would not be participating in the auction due to a lack of representation for South Punjab, Tareen expressed that his connection to Multan and South Punjab has always been an important aspect of his association with the PSL. He further implied that it was unfair for the PCB and PSL organisation to push aside the most vocal and passionate supporter of a franchise. This made an already strained relationship between Tareen and the PCB worse.

Tareen's disagreements with the PCB over franchise operations, the financial status of franchises and the renewal processes for contracts have been an ongoing issue for a number of months. The situation worsened when the PCB sent Tareen a legal notice in 2025, alleging a breach of his contract and that he had made comments which were damaging to the PCB and the PSL. In response, Tareen vehemently denied the accusations against him, to the point of ripping up the legal notice on a video that rapidly gained millions of views. Even though Tareen will not be part of the PSL for a while, the process of expanding the PSL continues, as another bidder will now enter the competition for the league as it will be transformed into an eight-team competition in 2026.