Businessman Ali Tareen has announced he would not renew his ownership of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Multan Sultans. In a long, seemingly emotional statement on social media, Tareen wrote that he couldn’t ‘play safe’ or ‘play along’ and, in a sly dig aimed at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), he said he would rather ‘stand on his feet’ than compromise his principles.
With all PSL team rights expiring in December and owners required to re-bid, Tareen had accused the PCB of withholding Multan’s valuation and renewal documents despite repeated emails and even a legal notice. PCB later claimed the valuation process was “completed” without Multan, and recently, all five other franchises in the league confirmed their decisions to renew ownership.
According to ESPNcricinfo, PCB had asked Tareen to delete all critical social media posts (he would slam them in previous seasons, too) and apologize, which the owner refused.
“Being part of this team has been one of the greatest honours of my life. I love the fans, I love this team, and I absolutely love being able to represent South Punjab. Something my late uncle Alamgir Tareen was especially proud of,” Tareen wrote.
“Every season, I would tell our players and staff what it means to represent this region: a place full of people who work hard, fight for their rights, and push through challenges every single day. I told them that the fans will forgive you if you lose, but they will never forgive you if you stop fighting. That mindset has shaped everything we have done, both on and off the field,” he added.
“Despite the financial losses year after year, I never once thought about walking away. The Sultans have always meant more to me than just numbers. And I have always been willing to go as far as needed to protect it. I know I’m not everyone’s cup of tea, and I’m okay with that. But I have always been honest and I have always spoken my mind. I never learned how to play it safe or just play along. That simply isn’t who I am. And if staying means compromising those principles, there is only one choice I can make.”
When Multan Sultans debuted in 2018, the Schon Group owned the team but exited after one season. Alamgir and his nephew Ali Tareen then took charge, guiding the franchise to a title and four straight finals, before the latter became sole owner following the former’s death in 2022.
Tareen was always seen as a pioneering owner, hailed for deploying data analysis before most teams at Sultans and employing renowned women like Catherine Dalton and Hijab Zahid in coaching and managerial roles with the team.
“I would rather lose this team while standing on my feet than run it from my knees. So, this is goodbye. Please know that this team has always been much more than its owner. It belongs to you and to South Punjab. So whoever takes control of the Sultans next, please keep supporting them with the same passion. You can count on me to be in the stands supporting them too,” he concluded.
