Ali Tareen Decides Not to Renew Multan Sultans’ PSL Contract

Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen announced on Tuesday that he will not extend the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise contract, confirming the decision in a statement posted on X.

Tareen cited sustained financial losses throughout his tenure with the 2021 PSL champions as a major factor behind the move. He stated that he would “rather lose his team while standing on my feet than run it from my knees.” Meanwhile, the owners of the remaining five franchises — Lahore Qalandars, Islamabad United, Quetta Gladiators, Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings — have opted to renew their contracts for another decade.

Calling his time with the Sultans one of the greatest honours of his life, Tareen expressed deep admiration for the team’s supporters and highlighted his connection to South Punjab, a region he said his late uncle, Alamgir Tareen, was proud to represent through the franchise.

Tareen said he regularly reminded players and staff of the resilience and determination the region symbolises, telling them that fans would accept defeat but not the absence of fight. He reiterated that this philosophy guided the franchise both on and off the field.

Despite recurring financial losses, Tareen said he never seriously considered leaving, noting that the Sultans meant far more to him than “just numbers.” He added that he had always spoken his mind and refused to compromise his values, saying that if staying required him to abandon those principles, he had only “one choice” to make.

“So, this is goodbye,” he wrote, emphasising that the franchise belongs to the people of South Punjab regardless of who owns it. He encouraged supporters to continue backing the team and pledged to be present in the stands cheering for them.

Tareen’s departure comes after months of friction with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and PSL management. Earlier this year, he publicly criticised the league over issues ranging from the draft venue for PSL 10 to the selection of the tournament’s anthem artist, referring to the singer as a “same middle-aged dude.”

He also hinted at participating in a rebidding process for the franchise after the landmark edition, instead of pursuing a renewal. Tareen then openly challenged the PCB’s assertion that PSL 10 had been the “best ever” season.

Following his remarks, the PCB issued a notice to Multan Sultans over alleged breaches of several contractual clauses. Sources indicated that the franchise risked contract revocation and that Tareen himself could be blacklisted if he failed to provide a satisfactory response.

In reply, the Sultans released a statement claiming that the PCB had demanded Tareen “retract all recent critical statements and issue a public apology to the PSL management.” Tareen later issued a pointedly sarcastic response video, criticising the PSL administration while appearing to comply with the apology requirement.

He concluded the video by tearing up the legal notice and remarking, “So, I hope you like my apology video.”