Karachi Kings owner Salman Iqbal has slammed his Multan Sultans' counterpart Ali Tareen after the latter accused the PCB of failing to deliver on promises of a "bigger and better" PSL, calling the board's commitments "hollow".
Ahead of the Pakistan Super League’s 10th edition, tournament CEO Salman Naseer declared that the upcoming season, starting April 11, will "elevate the spectacle further – promising bigger stars, higher stakes, and celebrations worthy of a decade of excellence."
Speaking on the UltraEdge podcast by CrickWick, Tareen raised doubt on the claims, calling them "hollow words".
"How is PSL 10 bigger and better? Someone explain to me. When we say these hollow words that this is going to be the best PSL, what does that even mean? How will it be the best PSL? It’s the same games, same teams," he questioned.
He added: "We’ve had nail-biting finishes every year - we have close matches each year, even last year’s final went to the last ball. So what’s different? Same four stadiums, same stadium experience. Yes, the stadiums are better this year, but is that alone enough to make it the best and biggest PSL ever? No. I’m fed up with these empty claims and hollow words.”
Tareen was also vocal about the lack of planning on the organisers' part and suggested some innovative changes to improve the league. He has long been critical of the PCB. He previously slammed the board for mishandling Ihsanullah’s surgery, declaring the fast bowler would "never be express pace again".
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 29, 2025
Karachi Kings owner Salman Iqbal hits back at Tareen with fiery response
Salman Iqbal, owner of Karachi Kings, responded to Tareen’s comments by asking him to refrain from denigrating the league, given their shared role as franchise owners.
In a long post on X, he wrote: "Since the start of PSL, many doubted us, critics from India and even some local tv channels. But what truly hurts is when one of our own, a team owner, chooses to publicly ridicule and disrespect this league despite its continous growth. PSL is Pakistan’s pride a product which has made stars."
Iqbal’s ARY Communications (Pvt) Limited (ARY) secured the tournament’s television rights in Pakistan with a record bid in 2024 – a 45 per cent increase over previous years. He emphasised this milestone as proof of the league’s positive trajectory.
"From day one, ARY stood by PSL placing the highest bid to own Karachi Kings, building its image through our platforms, and broadcasting every draft live and uninterrupted. Later, A Sports stepped up and gave the highest ever bid for PSL TV rights a testament to our belief in this league. And this ramzan ARY offered their highest rated and biggest game show of Pakistan which is watched by millions around the world daily during ramzan "Jeeto Pakistan" for unveiling of PSL trophy," he added.
"Salman Naseer and the PCB team are giving their all to uplift PSL. Instead of negativity and denunciation of the league, us as team owners must step up and back their efforts. PSL is more than cricket. It’s a MADE-in-PAKISTAN success story. Every stakeholder, including Ali Tareen, benefits from its growth. So Let’s protect what we’ve built."
Since the start of PSL, many doubted us, critics from India and even some local tv channels. But what truly hurts is when one of our own, a team owner, chooses to publicly ridicule and disrespect this league despite its continous growth. PSL is Pakistan’s pride a product which…
— Salman Iqbal ARY (@Salman_ARY) April 6, 2025
The upcoming PSL season has shifted to a window alongside the IPL. It has opened up opportunities for international stars who have not got IPL gigs to feature in the PSL as they would not be busy in international commitments. Several high-profile names like David Warner, Kane Williamson, and Daryl Mitchell, will play in PSL 2025.
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