In an unexpected move, Ali Tareen, the owner of Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Multan Sultans, tore up a legal notice sent by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), calling it an attempt to silence criticism.
In a video statement released on Thursday night, Tareen said the notice threatened to terminate the franchise agreement and blacklist him but declared that he “will not remain silent”.
Ali Tareen maintained that the PCB’s legal notice demanded he withdraw his recent critical statements about the league’s management and issue an official apology.
The notice, he said, warned that failure to comply could result in termination of the Multan Sultans’ franchise agreement and his blacklisting from the PSL.
“This notice was meant to intimidate me, but I will not bow down to such tactics,” Tareen stated firmly in his video.
Tareen says he loves PSL
The Multan Sultans owner reiterated that his earlier remarks were not attacks but constructive criticism aimed at improving the league’s administration.
“I love PSL — it is the league of the entire Pakistan,” he said. “All I asked for was the inclusion of competent and capable people in the PSL management.”
Tareen sarcastically added, “If demanding professionalism in the league is a crime, then I apologise for it.”
In his statement, Tareen accused PCB officials of being unwilling to engage with stakeholders and unable to tolerate even mild criticism.
“You people don’t want to work together with franchise owners,” he said. “You want everyone to simply follow your line without question.”
The PSL Management has sent me a notice threatening to cancel Multan Sultans unless I offer them a public apology. Hazir Saeen. pic.twitter.com/yHWCcClXaD
— Ali Khan Tareen (@aliktareen) October 23, 2025
He emphasised that despite his willingness to cooperate, no official contact had been made with him to discuss his concerns. “Till today, no one from PCB has said, ‘Come to the office; let’s sit and solve the problems together,’” he added.
In a symbolic gesture of defiance, Tareen tore up the PCB’s legal notice during the video, declaring that he would continue to speak openly about the league’s issues. “I will not be intimidated by the threats given in the notice,” he asserted.
PCB suspends Multan Sultans
A day ago, the PCB suspended Multan Sultans after issuing a formal notice of termination over an alleged breach of contract. The decision reportedly followed recent statements made by Ali Tareen, criticising PCB policies — remarks which, sources claim, triggered the disciplinary action.
The franchise was served a notice of suspension and a termination warning for violating contractual terms. PCB sources said the move came amid concerns over the franchise’s compliance with league regulations.
