Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Multan Sultans will be operated by the country’s cricket board across the tournament’s upcoming edition, the latter’s chairman Mohsin Naqvi revealed on Sunday. Multan Sultans are the only existing PSL outfit, whose franchise agreement with the PCB was not renewed after former owner Ali Khan Tareen was declared non-compliant by the board following his criticism over the league’s management. The next edition of the PSL is set to feature two new franchises, which will be auctioned on January 8. There will be no auction, however, for Multan Sultan’s, the league most expensive franchise. “This year, the PCB will operate Multan Sultans itself,” Mohsin said during a press conference at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. “After the end of the next PSL season, god-willing, we will hand it over to its next owners after an auction process.” Mohsin said the “acting head” of the franchise will be appointed by the PCB in the next eight to 10 days. “We will try to bring in a professional cricketer [for that post], who will run Multan Sultans,” he added.