Sialkot Stallionz Ownership Drama: CD Ventures Acquires 98% Shares in PSL 2026

PSL 2026 is already one of the most dramatic seasons in cricket league history — before a single ball has been bowled. The newest franchise, Sialkot Stallionz, has been caught in a whirlwind ownership crisis since day one. Now, the latest twist: CD Ventures has acquired a massive 98% stake in Sialkot Stallionz, and there are serious whispers that Multan Sultans could replace the franchise altogether. If you’re following the PSL 2026 season, this is the story you cannot afford to miss.

In just 45 days, Sialkot has gone through more ownership changes than most franchises see in a decade. Here’s the complete timeline — broken down simply.

The Full Sialkot Stallionz Ownership Timeline

This is chaos at a level PSL has never seen before — and PCB is watching extremely closely.

Who Is CD Ventures & Gohar Shah?

If the name Gohar Shah and CD Ventures ring a bell, it’s because they were the emotional bidders at the Multan Sultans auction on February 9. Gohar Shah, who hails from Multan, came heartbreakingly close to buying the Sultans franchise — reportedly tearing up when Walee Technologies outbid him at the final moment with a record PKR 2.45 billion.

Gohar Shah had one clear mission: keep the Multan legacy alive. When that door closed, CD Ventures reportedly shifted focus — and now, less than two weeks later, they’ve ended up with 98% control of Sialkot Stallionz. A remarkable turn of events.

What Happened With Alpha Sports?

The ownership mess started when OZ Group sold 75% of their shares to Australia-based Alpha Sports Group on February 9. On paper, it looked like a strong partnership. Within nine days, everything fell apart.

On February 18, Alpha Sports publicly made serious allegations against OZ Group and walked away from the deal entirely. This left the franchise in a legal and administrative no man’s land — with PSL 11 just weeks away.

The situation had already been messy before that. A separate individual named Mohammad Shahid had claimed to hold a 76% majority stake and alleged shares were being sold without his authorization — a claim OZ Group’s Hamza Majeed flatly denied, calling it false and baseless.

Will Multan Sultans Replace Sialkot Stallionz?

This is the big question gripping Pakistani cricket fans right now. With CD Ventures — a group with direct emotional and business ties to the Multan brand — now holding 98% of Sialkot, speculation is running hot that the franchise could be rebranded or restructured to bring the Multan Sultans identity back in some form.

However, PCB confirmation is still awaited. The board has not officially confirmed whether Sialkot will operate under a new name, a rebranded identity, or continue as Stallionz under CD Ventures ownership.

Check out all eight PSL 2026 franchise squads to see the current roster picture ahead of the season.

Where Does This Leave the PSL 2026 Season?

Despite the chaos in the boardroom, the players signed by Sialkot Stallionz remain part of the franchise. The squad — which includes big names like Steven Smith (direct signing), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Ashton Turner, Peter Siddle, and Tabriz Shamsi — was assembled at the historic first-ever PSL player auction on February 11.

PSL 11 kicks off on March 26, 2026, and runs until May 3, 2026. Time is extremely short. PCB will need to resolve the ownership crisis fast to ensure the eighth team is ready and compliant ahead of the tournament.

Keep track of the full PSL 2026 match schedule as things develop.

Why This Matters Beyond Just One Franchise

This isn’t just a Sialkot story. It raises serious questions about PSL’s franchise vetting process. How did a brand-new, PKR 185 Crore franchise end up in a full-blown ownership collapse within 45 days? PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has not yet addressed the CD Ventures acquisition publicly, but the board will be under significant pressure to show it has robust ownership stability checks ahead of the expansion era.

The irony? CD Ventures — the group that tried to save Multan Sultans from disappearing — may now be the ones holding PSL’s most unstable new franchise together.

FAQs

Q: Who owns Sialkot Stallionz now? As of February 22, 2026, CD Ventures — owned by Gohar Shah — has acquired 98% of Sialkot Stallionz shares.

Q: Why did Alpha Sports leave Sialkot Stallionz? Alpha Sports made serious allegations against OZ Group and exited the partnership on February 18, 2026.

Q: Will Multan Sultans replace Sialkot Stallionz in PSL 2026? Speculation is high given CD Ventures’ connection to Multan, but no official PCB confirmation has been made.

Q: Who is Gohar Shah? Gohar Shah is the owner of CD Ventures, a businessman from Multan who narrowly lost the bid for Multan Sultans franchise on Feb 9.

Q: When does PSL 2026 start? PSL 11 begins on March 26, 2026, and runs until May 3, 2026.

Q: What happens to Sialkot’s squad if the franchise changes? Players signed remain part of the franchise regardless of ownership change, unless PCB intervenes.