Multan Sultans Rebranded: Rawalpindi Enters PSL 11 in Record Deal

In a historic shake-up for the Pakistan Super League (PSL), the Multan Sultans franchise was sold on Monday, February 9, 2026, for a staggering Rs2.45 billion to Walee Technologies. In a move that surprised many, the new owners immediately announced that the team would be relocated and rebranded as Rawalpindi for the upcoming 11th edition.

A New Valuation Benchmark

The bidding process, held at the Expo Centre in Lahore, saw fierce competition as the league transitioned into a “New Era” of franchise ownership.

• Record Bid: The Rs2.45 billion winning bid is the highest in PSL history, nearly tripling the team’s previous valuation and significantly exceeding the Rs1.82 billion base price.
• The Bidders: Five groups were technically qualified, including CD Ventures, Particle Igniter, and former owner Ali Khan Tareen’s Deharki Sugar Mills (DSM). The final battle saw Walee Technologies outlast CD Ventures after an intense series of counter-bids.
• Walee Technologies: A global media and tech firm that already holds international livestreaming rights for PSL 11. Their CEO, Ahsan Tahir, cited a personal connection to Rawalpindi as the driving force behind the city change.

End of an Era for South Punjab

The rebranding marks the end of an 8-year journey for the Multan Sultans, a fan-favorite team that won the title in 2021.

• PCB’s Stance: Chairman Mohsin Naqvi admitted his “heart sank” at the loss of the Multan name but acknowledged that an investor paying such a record fee could not be forced to retain a specific city identity.
• Future of Multan: Naqvi promised that the PCB would explore ways to ensure the cricket-starved region of South Punjab remains represented in the league’s ecosystem.
• The Sethi Legacy: Former Chairman Najam Sethi, who originally founded the Multan franchise in 2017, attended the ceremony and hailed the record sale as the “culmination of a dream come true.”

The Expanded 8-Team Roster

With the addition of two new franchises and the rebranding of Multan, the PSL 11 landscape has shifted dramatically:

What’s Next?

The focus now shifts to the PSL 11 Player Auction scheduled for Wednesday, February 11. All eyes will be on how the newly-minted Rawalpindi management builds its inaugural squad and whether they retain stars like Mohammad Rizwan.

You May Like To Read: 

• Fate of Pakistan-India T20 Clash Hangs in the Balance
• Ihsan Mani Urges Jay Shah to Personally Resolve Pakistan’s Boycott Crisis
• Nasser Hussain Backs Pakistan, Bangladesh in T20 World Cup Standoff