The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has formally invited bids for the Multan Sultans franchise, signalling that the league’s 11th season will feature a new ownership group for the 2021 champions. A tender released on Monday asks interested parties to submit technical proposals by 30 January, with financial bids to follow soon after.
The move overturns last month’s suggestion by PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi that the board might run the side itself. A senior official involved in the decision explained, “The market has spoken—recent franchise prices show there’s real value in selling now.”
That market optimism stems from last week’s auction of the two expansion teams, Hyderabad and Sialkot, which went for PKR 1.75 billion and PKR 1.85 billion respectively—almost triple the fee paid for Lahore Qalandars, previously the league’s most expensive outfit. Those figures appear to have persuaded the PCB that releasing Multan to private hands could set a new high-water mark for franchise valuations.
Multan, of course, is not an unknown quantity. The Sultans have contested eight seasons, lifting the trophy in 2021 and reaching two other finals. Such on-field pedigree, combined with an established supporter base, should add a premium when bids are assessed. As one PSL executive put it, “You’re buying a proven brand, not a start-up.”
Potential bidders are already circling. Fin-tech company i2c, which reportedly stretched to PKR 1.82 billion for Sialkot before bowing out, is viewed as a likely participant. Former owner Ali Tareen—whose decision to leave late last year forced the sale—has hinted he could return to the table if the numbers make sense. No party has gone public with a figure, yet few inside the league expect anything below the recent Sialkot benchmark.
While ownership is the most pressing matter, it is not the only unresolved issue before the season’s scheduled 26 March start. The league has yet to confirm a player-draft date; franchise retentions remain under debate; and the governing council will meet on Friday to revisit a proposal for an auction—rather than the traditional draft—for the top salary brackets. Those discussions cannot be finalised until Multan has new backers.
One PSL administrator, speaking on background, summed up the calendar crunch: “We’re working backwards from matchday one. The sooner Multan is sorted, the smoother everything else becomes.”
The tender itself asks for “entities with experience in sports or large-scale event management” and sets a tight timeline: evaluation of technical bids, opening of financial envelopes, and contract signing are all pencilled in for early February. Should that schedule hold, the new owners would have roughly six weeks to assemble squad, staff and commercial partners—tight, but feasible given the league’s franchising template.
There is an element of risk, naturally. Running costs in the PSL have risen, foreign-player availability can fluctuate, and the calendar now squeezes in two extra teams. Yet recent valuations suggest investors see upside in the league’s expanding footprint and growing broadcast reach.
For the PCB, striking a robust sale price while maintaining stability across all eight franchises is the balancing act. Nail that, and the board strengthens its hand for future expansions; miss it, and critics will question whether the late change of heart was worth the disruption.
Either way, Multan’s near-term future should be clearer inside a fortnight, bringing the PSL a step closer to resolving its last major pre-season headache.
