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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday confirmed that it has approved five bidders for the auction of the owner-less Multan Sultans ahead of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.
The PCB confirmed the bidders in a press release following the technical evaluation of the proposals.
“A total of six proposals were received from interested parties within the stipulated deadline. The PCB bid committee then carried out a thorough and transparent evaluation process,” the PCB said.
“Out of the six proposals, five (5) bidders have been termed technically qualified, who will now take part in the Auction process of the Multan Sultans. The date and venue for the Auction will be shared in due course,” it added.
Following the announcement, the Chief Executive Officer of PSL, Salman Nasee,r expressed his excitement and shared his thoughts on the evaluation process.
“We are delighted to receive such keen interest in the sale of Multan Sultans’ Franchise Rights,” he said.
“The HBL PSL congratulates the technically qualified bidders and appreciates all parties who engaged with us through-out the tender process; with whom we will continue to explore other exciting opportunities,” he added.
He mentioned the league’s new era and expressed confidence ahead of the PSL 11 auction.
“I’m sure the fans are equally excited for another thrilling Team Auction before the focus shifts to all important Player Auction for HBL PSL 11. The final lineup of the eight HBL PSL team owners is going to set the ball rolling for the New Era of the HBL PSL 11,” he concluded.
For the unversed, the process began after the departure of Multan Sultans’ former owner, Ali Tareen, who announced in November that he was stepping away from the franchise.
The reason for Tareen’s departure was strained relations with the PCB that had persisted for over a year, ultimately reaching a point of no return.
Subsequently, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced that the board would assume control of the franchise upon expiry of the existing ownership agreement on December 31, 2025.
The initial plan was for the PCB to operate the team for a year before auctioning it in 2027.
However, strong valuations achieved in the recent auction are understood to have encouraged the PCB to proceed with the sale of Multan Sultans earlier than planned.
The landmark auction, held at the Jinnah Convention Centre last month, saw FKS Group and OZ Developers acquire the newly added franchises from Hyderabad and Sialkot for Rs1.75 billion and Rs1.85 billion, respectively, expanding the PSL to eight teams from season 11.
