Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has confirmed that the board will directly manage the Multan Sultans franchise in the upcoming edition of the Pakistan Super League.

Citing time constraints, Naqvi said the PCB will appoint a committee, led by a former cricketer, to oversee the franchise’s operations during PSL 11. The arrangement will be finalised after Multan Sultans are formally put up for auction.

“This will be done after the PSL places the Multan Sultans team for auction,” Naqvi told the media. This marks the first instance since the league’s inception in 2016 that the PCB will run a franchise itself, a move that has raised questions about governance and the PSL’s brand integrity.

Former Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen, who recently exited the franchise following a public fallout with the PCB, has been allowed to participate in the auction for two new teams scheduled for January 8. Tareen had stepped away from the Multan franchise one of the most expensive in the league, after accusing the PCB of failing to communicate during the contract renewal process.

When asked about Tareen’s eligibility, Naqvi acknowledged his contributions to the franchise but avoided revisiting the dispute.

“Whatever happened is not something I want to discuss,” Naqvi said. “But technically, we will welcome him. If he wants to own a new team, he absolutely should.”

While the other five PSL franchises renewed their contracts with the PCB in recent weeks, Multan Sultans were not given the opportunity to reconsider renewal after the board issued a legal notice to Tareen for repeated contractual breaches.

Naqvi revealed that the PCB considered selling the Multan franchise but was constrained by Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) regulations.

“There is significant interest in Multan Sultans,” he said. “But PPRA rules must be followed, which is why we have decided to manage the franchise ourselves for one season.”

Multan Sultans were paying an annual franchise fee of $6.35 million to the PCB.

In a separate announcement, Naqvi confirmed that former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has been appointed as the PSL’s brand ambassador and will officially assume the role on January 1.

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