The pressure is piling on the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and its outspoken chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, both externally and internally. On Wednesday (November 19), Ali Khan Tareen, the owner of the Multan Sultans franchise in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), threatened to sue the board over the ongoing issue of team registration and contract renewal ahead of the league's 2026 season.
The ownership rights for all six PSL teams expire in December, with the owners needing to re-bid to keep control. Tareen was openly critical of the PCB for a lack of transparency in the matter. Apparently angered, the board demanded he apologize and retract his statements, or face 'blacklisting' (a ban from bidding for Sultans). Tareen responded by tearing down PCB's letter on social media and refusing to apologize.
In further retort, the PCB released a statement saying that the board had 'completed' the independent valuation process, which didn't include the Sultans.
"Over the past month we have sent multiple emails to the PSL management, asking for our valuation and renewal letter (which every other team has already received). But there has been no response. No response to our legal letter, no response to our emails, no response to my letter to the Chairman," Tareen wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
"Even other franchise reps have asked why Multan is not being included in the valuation and renewal process. No response. For those asking why this is not being handled behind closed doors, it is simply because the PSL Management refuse to engage with us," he added.
"If this ghosting continues we will have no choice but to take legal action. Which is the absolute last thing we want to do. This entire situation is so unnecessary and could have easily been solved over tea and biscuits. But fragile egos make simple things difficult. Let's hope better sense prevails, but it is not looking likely," he said.
The PSL, meanwhile, has announced expansion to eight teams from the 2026 season. As it competes for airtime and relevance against bigger leagues like the IPL and upcoming properties like the SA20, being openly sued by a franchise only makes things worse.