Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen hit out at the Pakistan Super League (PSL) management late on Thursday, stating he is “unhappy at their mediocre mindset” after his franchise was issued a legal notice threatening suspension over breach of contractual obligations.

Earlier in the day, the PSL management had acted following repeated public statements by Tareen criticising the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and PSL, and had sought a public apology if the latter wished to avoid legal proceedings.

The move marked a significant escalation in the simmering tensions between the board and the Multan franchise.

Tareen then posted a video on social media platform X on Thursday night, in which he could be seen holding what seemed to be the legal notice sent by the PSL management, saying he wanted to apologise but demanded better of the league organisers.

Making sharp remarks targeted the PSL management, he ended the video by tearing up what seemed to be the legal notice he had received.

Tareen had stoked the fire in April when he shared a podcast clip on X questioning the PCB’s pre-season build-up, writing: “How is PSL 10 bigger and better? Same games, same teams – what’s new? Fed up with hollow words. PCB had time to plan innovations, but we’re repeating last year. Our biggest brand deserves more. Explain the vision!”

A few days later, he sought to clarify his stance amid backlash from other franchise owners, posting: “I love PSL — it’s a MADE-IN-PAKISTAN success story we all benefit from. My words were about pushing for real growth, not negativity. Salman Naseer & PCB team are giving their all. Let’s unite as owners to back them and elevate the league. No more stagnation!”

However, the tensions persisted. In July, Ali renewed his criticism in response to a PCB post-season debrief video celebrating PSL 10’s “success”.

He wrote: “Applause? You must be kidding. TV ratings down, attendance plummeting, digital engagement slowing — yet we’re celebrating? PCB, wake up. PSL deserves better planning, not self-congratulation. Time to fix these issues before it’s too late.”

A PCB source said the repeated statements “damaged the league’s reputation and violated the terms of the agreement”.

The board’s notice reportedly outlines specific clauses of the franchise agreement that were breached. PCB officials maintained that the board remains committed to upholding the integrity and professional standards of the PSL.

A Multan Sultans spokesperson told Dawn on Thursday that “the PCB last month sent a legal notice, which is not a notice of termination”.

“The notice threatens termination of our franchise agreement and a lifetime blacklist of Mr Tareen from owning any cricket team in the future,” a statement by the franchise said later.

“Every statement he (Tareen) has made has been in the best interest of the PSL, urging the league to aim higher and do better.

“For the PCB management to treat constructive criticism as a crime is outrageous. It demonstrates the pettiness of the current management and clearly shows that the PSL is not open to questions or accountability, even from those who have given the most to make it stronger.

“Silencing honest feedback is not how great leagues are built,“ it read.

The development comes amid growing concerns over franchise-board relations within the PSL framework, with several stakeholders calling for greater transparency and consistency in the PCB’s dealings with team owners.