Multan Sultans set for new ownership as current owner bows out ahead of PSL 11

Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen has officially announced that he will not renew his ownership of the PSL franchise, bringing an end to a seven-year association marked by both on-field success and increasingly strained relations with league management. Tareen confirmed his exit through a detailed message on social media, in which he expressed pride in what the team had achieved but also hinted at serious disagreements with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and PSL administration. His remark that he would “rather lose the team standing on my feet than run it from my knees” underscored the friction that has built over the past year.

Tareen revealed that financial losses never motivated his decision to leave, emphasising that Multan Sultans meant far more to him than yearly balance sheets. His departure comes at a complicated time for the league, which is set to expand to eight teams for the upcoming 11th season. While five franchises have agreed to renew their ownership contracts, Sultans did not receive a renewal offer, a sign of how fractured the relationship had become.

Legal Dispute, Valuation Clash Push Tareen to Exit Multan Sultans

The rift escalated when the PCB issued a legal notice accusing Tareen of contract violations and demanding a public apology. Tareen responded with a sarcastic video in which he tore up the notice, further intensifying the standoff. In recent months, he found himself excluded from discussions regarding the upcoming season, and the franchise received no replies to communication from PSL officials. Sources indicate the PCB recently asked Tareen to delete posts critical of the league and issue an apology, but the impasse remained unresolved.

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Compounding matters is the franchise’s financial valuation. Multan Sultans, originally purchased for PKR 1.1 billion, has reportedly been revalued at around PKR 850 million, making it the only PSL team to lose value. Yet, renewal terms required Tareen to pay the old fee plus an additional 25%, a condition he argued was unfair and unsustainable.

In his farewell statement, Tareen paid tribute to his late uncle, Alamgir Tareen, who had shared his passion for using the franchise to uplift South Punjab. He urged fans to continue supporting the team regardless of future ownership and promised he would still be present in the stands. The PCB has yet to comment, and the search for new ownership now adds another layer of complexity to PSL 11.