PSL rocked as Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen quits amid rift with Mohsin Naqvi

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has been hit by a major shock as Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen has announced that he will not continue his ownership of the franchise after seven years. Ali Tareen’s exit has created a storm in the PSL, especially because it comes at a time when tensions between him and PSL officials and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have been rising for months.

The Multan Sultans owner, Tareen, shared an emotional message on social media, thanking fans and saying the team always meant more to him than numbers or profit. He also hinted at a deep rift with PSL management for his exit by saying he would "rather lose the team standing on my feet than run it from my knees."

Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen quits amid growing tensions with PSL and PCB officials

For almost a year, the Multan Sultans owner had been openly criticizing the Pakistan Super League for poor planning and lack of transparency. The conflict grew so serious that the PCB sent him a legal notice, accusing him of breaking his contract and demanding an apology.

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Instead, Tareen released a sarcastic video where he tore up the notice. He also revealed that the Multan Sultans hadn’t received replies to any messages they sent to PSL or PCB officials and warned he might take legal action. Earlier this week, the PCB emailed him again, asking him to delete all posts criticizing the league and apologize, but he refused to do so.

Later, the Multan Sultans owner distanced himself from the important meetings for the 11th season of the PSL. Interestingly, Tareen was the only owner who didn’t receive the franchise renewal offer from the PSL and PCB, and now he has announced his departure.

I never once thought about walking away: Tareen Ali

Tareen Ali said in a statement, “Being part of this team has been one of the greatest honors of my life. Despite the financial losses year on year, I never once thought about walking away. The Sultans have always meant more to me than just numbers. And I have always been willing to go as far as needed to protect it.”

To all Multan Sultans fans,

Being part of this team has been one of the greatest honours of my life. I love the fans, I love this team, and I absolutely love being able to represent South Punjab. Something my late uncle Alamgir Tareen was especially proud of.

Every season, I…

— Ali Khan Tareen (@aliktareen) November 25, 2025

His exit comes just as the PSL is expanding from six to eight teams. With Tareen stepping aside, the PCB will now have to look for a third new owner instead of two.

5 PSL teams lock in 10-year deals as Karachi Kings slip in market value

Meanwhile, Karachi Kings, Quetta Gladiators, Islamabad United, Lahore Qalandars, and Peshawar Zalmi have all confirmed that they will continue with the same owners for the next ten years in the Pakistan Super League.

Karachi Kings, who made their PSL debut in 2016 as the most expensive franchise, have now recorded the smallest percentage growth in their team’s value. Their original price was PKR 440 million (around USD 1.57 million), and they now stand at about PKR 790 million (around USD 2.8 million).

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With retention rules requiring owners to pay the old fee plus 25% of the new valuation, the Karachi Kings’ annual fee now reaches roughly PKR 640 million (around USD 2.3 million). Their market ranking has dropped below Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans, and is only higher than Quetta Gladiators.

Quetta Gladiators record the biggest PSL value surge

However, the Quetta Gladiators have shown the biggest rise in market value despite being the lowest-valued team overall in the PSL. They started at PKR 187 million (around USD 660,000) in 2016, and their value has climbed to about PKR 690 million (around USD 2.45 million). Their owners will now pay around PKR 360 million (around USD 1.28 million) per year.

Islamabad United have risen even higher, jumping from PKR 255 million (around USD 910,000) in 2016 to about PKR 860 million (around USD 3.06 million). Their renewed fee is around PKR 470 million (around USD 1.67 million).