Key points
- Tareen mocks PCB’s legal notice in video
- Afghanistan’s withdrawal from PSL remains uncertain
- PSL expansion to eight teams carefully considered
KARACHI: The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Salman Naseer, responded to a question regarding Multan Sultans’ owner, Ali Tareen, who recently shared a viral video openly criticising the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and tearing up the legal notice he had received from the board.
In a recent press conference, Naseer stressed that issues related to the PSL should be addressed “behind closed doors,” highlighting the importance of maintaining the league’s reputation and resolving disputes through proper legal and administrative channels.
“You want me to do the same thing they’re doing, to tarnish the reputation of this league. I can’t do that. If this matter is to be discussed, it will be done in the boardroom, legally; and if it’s to be resolved, it will happen behind closed doors. Saying anything more would only add fuel to the fire,” Naseer remarked.
For those unaware, Ali Tareen shared a video on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), offering a sarcastic “apology” to the PCB after receiving a legal notice accusing him of violating multiple clauses of the PSL’s 10-year franchise agreement.
Formal apology
The notice reportedly demanded a formal apology and a retraction of his statements, warning that failure to comply could lead to the termination of the Multan Sultans’ contract and Tareen’s blacklisting from the league.
In the video, Tareen mockingly recited the PCB’s demands, questioning the board’s approach to communication and expressing frustration over what he described as a lack of dialogue.
“I never received a single call, message, email, or invitation asking to meet and resolve these issues together,” he said.
The video ended with Tareen dramatically tearing up the legal notice, concluding with, “So, I hope you like my apology video.”
When asked about Afghanistan’s withdrawal and the availability of Afghan players for the upcoming PSL, Naseer referred to it as “a developing situation” to be reviewed before the draft.
“This is a developing situation. When the draft approaches, we will review it,” he stated.
Talent pool
Regarding the league’s expansion, the PSL CEO explained that the decision to increase the number of teams to eight had been carefully considered.
“Even the decision to have eight teams wasn’t an easy one. It’s not like we just woke up one morning and decided it,” he said.
“You have to look at how big your talent pool is, whether we have enough national players to keep the PSL as competitive as it’s known to be. Then there are international players, scheduling windows, number of matches, and the interests of sponsors and fans.”
Naseer added that after assessing all the relevant data, the board felt confident about expanding the league while maintaining its competitive standard.
“So, when that stage comes again, we’ll look into further expansion. But for now, it’s very exciting, there’s a lot of interest coming in, and I feel the auction process for the two new teams will be very competitive,” he concluded.
