Pakistan Cricket Board is dealing with ownership disputes involving at least two Pakistan Super League franchises, including the newly auctioned Sialkot Stallionz and Lahore Qalandars, according to a PTI report.
A disagreement has reportedly surfaced within the ownership group of the Sialkot franchise, which was recently added as the PSL’s eighth team. Businessman Muhammad Shahid, who lives abroad, has lodged a complaint with PSL chief executive Salman Naseer claiming he holds 76% of the franchise’s shares. Shahid has alleged that partners who own the remaining 24% are attempting to sell stakes without his knowledge or consent, and are trying to offload more shares than they are entitled to.
Shahid has also put out a video on social media reiterating his claims and seeking intervention. The report adds that the Sialkot team was bought for PKR 185 crores by a consortium that includes Kamil Khan, described as a close relative of a former Pakistan captain, while noting that Khan has no link to the ownership dispute being raised.
Lahore Qalandars dispute also flagged
A second dispute cited in the report involves Lahore Qalandars, one of the original PSL franchises. Fawad Rana has also filed a complaint with Naseer, claiming he is the majority owner of the Lahore franchise. He has taken the matter to court against his brothers Atif Rana and Sameer Rana, alleging that shares belonging to his company were sold without his consent.
The case has reportedly already seen a legal ruling in Rana’s favour. Court documents cited in the report indicate Rana moved a petition to establish his majority ownership position and challenge the alleged sale of shares by the other stakeholders, following which the verdict supported his claim.
The disputes come at a time when the PSL is trying to consolidate its new eight-team structure and push for greater commercial stability. With franchise valuations rising and ownership structures coming under sharper scrutiny, the PCB may face added pressure to ensure governance clarity around franchise ownership, even if the core issues remain internal shareholding battles to be settled between partners.
