Uncertainty looms over Multan Sultans' future following owner's demise

In 2018, Alamgir Tareen and Ali Tareen formed a consortium and secured the Multan Sultans franchise by paying a record-breaking annual fee of $6.35 million for a period of seven years. Alamgir Tareen held the majority share in the franchise. However, in 2021, Ali Tareen ended his association with the team, leaving Alamgir as the sole owner. A media release was issued to announce this change.

Despite improved performances in the league, the Multan Sultans franchise has been incurring significant financial losses each year.

After the sadly demise of Alamgir Tareen, concerns are being raised about the future of the franchise, and it is likely that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would contact Ali Tareen to discuss his future plans regarding the franchise. Despite the announcement of Ali Tareen’s disassociation from the franchise and the process of changing ownership being initiated, his name is still mentioned as co-owner in legal documents.

If Ali Tareen expresses interest in maintaining ownership rights, he would need to make the necessary payments, including the franchise fees. However, if he showed disinterest in managing the franchise, then the board would initiate the process of rebidding for the franchise.

It was revealed by sources that Multan Sultans had been seeking a solution to their financial issues for a long time now. During a governing council meeting, a franchise owner raised this concern, which was seemingly acknowledged by others present. At that time, several owners were not in favor of providing relief to the Multan Sultans, although no one openly expressed their opinions.

Various suggestions were put forward, including reducing the franchise fee and installment payments. However, no decision could be reached due to legal complications. The board was cautious about reducing fees, as previous bidders could potentially take legal action, arguing that they could have paid the same reduced amount. Consequently, no agreement was reached with the Multan Sultans.