The Pakistan Cricket Board has formally invited bids for the ownership rights of the Pakistan Super League franchise Multan Sultans, marking the next step in the team’s transition ahead of PSL 11.
In an official advertisement issued on Wednesday, the PCB called on interested parties to submit bids for the franchise, which won the PSL title in 2021.
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The board confirmed that the deadline for submitting documents related to technical proposals has been set for January 30.
Only bidders who meet the required technical criteria will be allowed to move forward to the financial bidding stage.
The development follows earlier reports suggesting that the PCB was considering selling the Multan Sultans franchise after receiving strong valuations during the recent auction of two new PSL teams.
Last month, the board announced it would take over the franchise following the expiry of the existing ownership agreement on December 31, 2025.
READ: Salman Naseer hints at auction, direct signings for PSL 11
Initially, the PCB was expected to operate Multan Sultans for one year before auctioning the team in 2027.
This approach was projected to reduce annual costs by around $4 million, as the board would not need to contribute funds from the central revenue pool or sponsorship allocations.
However, an audit report later noted that the PCB would lose out on an estimated $8.5 million franchise fee for that year.
In November, former owner Ali Tareen announced through social media that he was stepping away from the franchise.
Reports indicated that his relationship with the PCB had remained tense over the past year, eventually reaching a point where continuation was no longer possible.
READ: PCB may auction Multan Sultans earlier following strong franchise valuations: reports
Multan Sultans were originally introduced as the sixth PSL team and were awarded to the Schon Group under a $5.2 million agreement, making them the most expensive franchise at the time.
The fee was double that of Karachi Kings, who were acquired for $2.6 million.
The move to invite bids comes after the PCB successfully auctioned two new franchises, Hyderabad and Sialkot, increasing the total number of teams in the league to eight for PSL 11.
Speaking at a media conference on December 28, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed that the board will run Multan Sultans for the upcoming season, which is scheduled to take place from March 26 to May 3, 2026, before proceeding with the sale.
“Multan Sultans will be operated by the PCB this year. Once the PSL concludes, we will carry out the auction and put the franchise up for sale. For this season, the board will run the Sultans,” Naqvi said.
He also revealed that temporary management arrangements would be finalised soon.
“We will appoint an acting head within the next eight to ten days to oversee the team. A professional cricketer will also be brought in to manage Multan Sultans for this season,” he added.
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The Pakistan Super League, which began in 2016 with five teams and expanded to six in 2018, continues to grow as it prepares for its 11th edition with eight franchises in total.
