Punjab Kings’ Ownership War Exposed, Ex-India Star Reveals How Franchise Was Held Back By A ‘Big Issue’

Former Punjab Kings Player Irfan Pathan Reveals Behind-the-Scenes Challenges at Franchise
In a candid interview, former India cricketer Irfan Pathan has uncovered the tumultuous history behind the Punjab Kings (PBKS) franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Despite reaching the final in IPL 2025, the franchise has struggled to find consistency, qualifying for the playoffs only three times in its 18-year history.
Pathan, who played for the team during its initial three seasons when it was known as Kings XI Punjab, shed light on internal issues that may have hampered the franchise’s progress. He hinted at conflicts involving ownership decisions and team management, even suggesting interference from owners in team selection.
The franchise’s early years saw some success, notably reaching the semi-finals in the inaugural IPL season in 2008 under captain Yuvraj Singh. However, subsequent seasons were marred by organizational turmoil.
“During the second year in 2009, when IPL moved to South Africa, our performance was poor. The first year, we made the semi-finals, so leadership continuity was important. But by the third year, leadership had changed,” Pathan explained on Star Sports.
He further criticized the internal conflicts within the franchise, highlighting disagreements between coaching staff—many of whom lacked a cricketing background—and owners, who also lacked cricket expertise.
While actress Preity Zinta is the most publicly visible owner, holding a 23% stake, the franchise is co-owned by Mohit Burman (48%), Ness Wadia (23%), and Karan Paul (6%).
Pathan pointed out that ownership disagreements may have contributed to chaos behind the scenes. “Initially, the owners seemed like good owners, and they were approachable. But internally, there was a lack of coordination that affected decision-making. Different owners had conflicting ideas about team composition, which impacted on-field results,” he said.
During his tenure with Punjab, Pathan took 47 wickets in 42 matches and scored 603 runs. He also acknowledged some improvements in recent years.
“Things seem to have changed now; they’ve tried to bring stability. But the fact that they’ve changed twelve captains over the years shows there hasn’t been true leadership stability,” he added. “Without stable leadership, players don’t feel secure, and that impacts performance in such a competitive league.”
As Punjab Kings look to rebuild and stabilize, Pathan’s insights provide a glimpse into the internal struggles that have shaped the franchise’s journey.