The panorama of the Pakistan Super League has undergone a tectonic shift as the enduring Multan Sultans franchise formally performed its closing innings on February 9, 2026. Following an intense, high-stakes public sale in Lahore, the franchise was bought for a sum that has shattered all earlier league data, marking a historic milestone within the PSL’s industrial evolution.
The transition has not solely launched a brand new company titan to the cricketing world however has additionally triggered a direct and dramatic rebranding that strikes the workforce from the center of South Punjab to the dual cities. Whereas the departure of the Sultans model marks the tip of an eight-year legacy, together with a championship in 2021, it indicators the beginning of a deep-pocketed new period for the league’s upcoming eleventh version.
PSL 2026: Multan Sultan’s exit reveals new proprietor and record-breaking sale value post-shift to Rawalpindi
The public sale for the Multan franchise was probably the most anticipated industrial occasion in PSL historical past, culminating in a record-shattering closing value of PKR 2.45 billion (roughly $8.8 million) for the annual payment. The successful bid was positioned by Walee Applied sciences, a worldwide monetary expertise and media powerhouse, led by CEO Ahsan Tahir.
The bidding battle was a grueling affair that noticed Walee outlast heavyweights like CD Ventures and Particle Igniter, practically doubling the earlier document of PKR 1.85 billion set by the Sialkot Stallionz simply final month. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi hailed the sale as a “watershed second,” noting that the large valuation was a direct results of the league’s shift to a participant public sale mannequin. For Walee Applied sciences, this funding represents a strategic leap into sports activities possession, aspiring to combine their fintech options to revolutionize fan engagement and digital broadcasting for the expanded 8-team match.
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The Rawalpindi period begins beneath CEO Ahsan Tahir forward of PSL 2026
In a transfer that surprised the South Punjab fanbase, Walee Applied sciences instantly exercised their proper to rebrand, saying that the workforce will now be referred to as Rawalpindi. This resolution successfully dissolves the Multan Sultans id, shifting the workforce’s house base to the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, which they may now share with Islamabad United.
“Are you prepared for a shock? We can be going for Rawalpindi!” CEO Ahsan Tahir was quoted as saying by The Daybreak
CEO Ahsan Tahir cited a deep private and childhood connection to the town of Rawalpindi as the first motivation for the relocation. Whereas the rebrand brings a recent skilled id to the league, it has left a emotional void in Multan, a metropolis that had turn out to be a fortress for the Sultans and their ‘Janoob ki Pehchan’ (Id of the South) slogan. Because the newly christened Rawalpindi franchise prepares for the PSL 11 participant public sale on February 12, the administration faces the monumental activity of constructing a brand-new squad from scratch to signify one in every of Pakistan’s most cricket-crazy cities.
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