Ali Tareen, owner of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Multan Sultans, has announced he is stepping down from the team after a prolonged dispute with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). He cited a “stifling environment” and conflicts with the PSL management and other franchise owners as key reasons for his decision.
According to cricket website Cricinfo, Tareen shared an emotional message for fans on social media platform X on Tuesday, confirming his departure from the franchise.
“I prefer leaving the team with my head held high rather than running it in a stifling environment,” Tareen said. He added that despite financial losses, he had never considered giving up ownership because the Sultans were always “more than just numbers” to him.
The announcement comes as the other five PSL franchises confirmed the renewal of their ownership. The 11th edition of the PSL will include eight teams, which required two new owners. With Tareen stepping down, an additional search for a new franchise owner is now needed.
Over the past year, tensions between Tareen and the PSL management had escalated. Tareen accused the board of lack of transparency and vision. In response, PCB issued a legal notice demanding a public apology, which Tareen responded to with a satirical video tearing up the notice.
Following this, Tareen was largely excluded from discussions regarding the upcoming PSL season. He was the only franchise owner not offered renewal of ownership.
Last week, Tareen claimed that the PCB chairman and PSL management had not responded to messages sent by Multan Sultans and that legal action was under consideration. Sources revealed that PCB recently sent another email asking him to remove posts criticizing PSL and the administration and to issue an apology, highlighting the ongoing tension.
Multan Sultans originally started under the ownership of the Shan Group in 2018, which exited a year later. Alamgir Tareen, Ali Tareen’s uncle, then took over, leading the team to its first PSL title in 2020 and reaching four consecutive finals. Following Alamgir Tareen’s death in 2022, Ali Tareen became the sole owner.
In his farewell message, Ali Tareen said:
“This team belongs not just to its owner but to all of you and is the pride of South Punjab. I hope everyone continues to support the Sultans with the same spirit, and I will also remain present in the stands.”
