Pakistan board grapples with ownership issues in two PSL franchises

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is grappling with ownership disputes in at least two of the eight franchises in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), it has been learned. According to a reliable source aware of developments, a dispute has broken out in the newly auctioned Sialkot franchise over the majority ownership.

"One of the owners, Muhammad Shahid, has filed a complaint with PSL CEO Salman Naseer that he holds 76 percent of the shares of the franchise but his other partners, who have 24 percent of the shares, are trying to sell shares of the franchise without his knowledge," the source said.

He said that Shahid, a businessman who resides abroad, had also posted a video on social media in which he said the other minor shareholders were



trying to make deals without his knowledge and consent and trying to dump more shares than they own.

The Sialkot franchise was bought for 185 crores by a consortium that includes Kamil Khan, a close relative of one of Pakistan's former captains, who has no link to the entire matter.

In another complaint, one of the original owners of the Lahore Qalandars franchise, Fawad Rana, after getting a court verdict in his favor, has also filed a complaint with Naseer over majority ownership issues.

Apparently, according to court documents, he had filed a petition against his brothers, Atif Rana and Sameer Rana, in court, claiming they sold shares belonging to his company without his knowledge, and the court ruled in his favor.