The Pakistan Super League has again been dragged into controversy, this time over a growing dispute between Multan Sultans owner Ali Khan Tareen and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The outspoken franchise chief has publicly alleged that the league’s management has stopped responding to him altogether and he is forced to consider taking the matter to court.
Tareen vented his frustration on social media, saying the situation had been allowed to escalate unnecessarily. According to him simple communication could have resolved the issue, but “ego battles” had made the environment toxic and unprofessional.
At the centre of the conflict is the PSL’s franchise renewal cycle. While other franchises have been reported to have received their valuation updates and renewal letters, Tareen alleges Multan Sultans have been left out of the whole process. He says repeated attempts – through emails, formal letters and even legal correspondence – have gone unanswered by the PSL management.
This isn’t Tareen’s first battle with the cricket board. In the recent past he made headlines for tearing up a PCB notice on camera, protesting what he described as an unprofessional and rigid system. The PCB had demanded that he be publicly apologized for his criticism, which he refused to do.
The PCB, meanwhile, insists that the valuation exercise for the next decade of PSL rights has been done and renewal offers have been issued to “compliant” franchises. However it has not made clear why Multan Sultans have not been given their documents. Reports also suggest the board is contemplating terminating Multan’s agreement because of what it considers to be breaches of conduct, this further escalates the friction between the two sides.
The uncertainty comes at a time when the PSL is actively planning expansion from six to eight teams and cities such Hyderabad, Faisalabad, Sialkot and Rawalpindi among others are being considered. But the growing stand-off with one of its existing franchises threatens to eclipse its long-term ambitions.
For now the standoff remains. Tareen says that going public was his last resort as the PSL management has not agreed to enter private discussions. If neither side backs down, the league could soon be thrust into a legal battle – something that could go a long way toward derailing the upcoming season and have an impact on franchise relations across the board.