Tensions between the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Multan Sultans and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) escalated on Wednesday as franchise owner Ali Khan Tareen threatened legal action over what he described as the board “ghosting” his team in the valuation and renewal process.
According to Tareen, repeated attempts to obtain the franchise’s valuation and renewal letter have been ignored, despite other PSL teams having received theirs.
The dispute has roots in ongoing friction between Multan Sultans and the PSL administration, which Tareen has previously criticized for mismanagement, selective information leaks, and lack of transparency in franchise valuations.
The issue intensified last week when the PSL announced two new franchise teams and prepared to initiate a tender process for their ownership, while the independent valuation process for existing franchises had reportedly been completed.
Tareen took to X to express frustration over the lack of communication, stating that multiple emails, legal letters, and even correspondence addressed to the PCB chairman have gone unanswered.
He emphasized that other franchise representatives have also questioned why Multan Sultans were being excluded from the valuation and renewal process, but the PSL management provided no explanation. Tareen added that while legal action would be a last resort, the franchise would pursue it if the board continued to ignore their requests.
He criticized the situation as “unnecessary” and avoidable through dialogue, lamenting that “fragile egos” have complicated what could have been resolved informally.
The PCB, however, maintains that renewal offer letters reflecting the new franchise fees for the next decade have been formally shared with all compliant PSL franchises, and responses are expected within the stipulated timelines.
The board also highlighted that meetings—both collective and individual—with the independent evaluator EY MENA have been arranged to allow franchises to review the valuation methodology and address any questions.
Last month, Tareen submitted a proposal to the PCB aimed at enhancing PSL governance, transparency, and partnership, signaling an effort to resolve issues amicably, though the current lack of engagement suggests tensions remain unresolved.
