LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to auction Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Multan Sultans owing to a good price secured in the recent auction of two new teams, the sources said on Sunday.

The board, last month, had announced that it would be taking over the control of the Multan Sultans owing to the expiration of its ownership agreement on December 31, 2025.

The sources, back then, had said that under the proposed plan, the PCB was to manage the franchise for one year before handing over the franchise to a new owner through an auction in 2027.

If implemented, the arrangement would save the PCB around $4 million in a year, as it would not have to pay $3m from the central pool or an additional $1m in sponsorship funds. However, an audit firm’s report notes that the PCB would not receive the franchise fee for that year, which stands at $8.5m.

In November, Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen announced via social media that he was parting ways with the PSL franchise. Sources indicate that relations between the PCB and Ali Tareen had remained strained over the past year, eventually reaching a point of no return.

Multan Sultans were originally awarded as the sixth PSL team to the Schon Group under a $5.2m agreement, making it the most expensive franchise at the time, double the price of Karachi Kings, which was acquired for $2.6m.

Sources say that the decision to auction Multan Sultans has been made as the PCB got “a good price” in the recent auction, and the inclusion of two new teams, namely Hyderabad and Sialkot, is pushing the number of teams in PSL 11 to eight.

Therefore, the board believes that there is no better time to sell Multan Sultans as well, and an open bidding will be held with an advertisement likely to be issued soon in this regard.

An official announcement will be made soon after reviewing the legal aspects, adding sources, saying that the board expects the franchise to be sold for a good price as well.

Godzilla Minus Zero roared back with the long-awaited release date in a new update from the studios.

The sequel to the Oscar-winning film Godzilla Minus One has locked in a November 6 premiere date for North American theaters.

The newly unveiled date follows quickly on the heels of Godzilla owner Toho releasing the feature in Japan on November 3.

While no casting details regarding Godzilla Minus Zero are yet available, the title, a first-look artwork and a teaser logo was revealed previously.

The announcement of the upcoming movie was made on Godzilla Day 2025 at an event in Tokyo in the wake of Godzilla Minus One success.

The first movie took place in post-World War II Japan and centered on a Kamikaze pilot Koichi (Ryunokuke Kamiki), who lives in shame after choosing not to die in battle.

However, he ultimately finds redemption as he helps his nation deal with the monster known as Godzilla.

Additionally, reports suggested that Takashi Yamazaki will serve as a director for the new movie.

He previously won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects for the 2023 movie, for which he served as the VFX supervisor as well as the filmmaker.

KHYBER: At least five people were killed after a car collided with a truck near Bab-e-Khyber, rescue officials said on Sunday.

The accident occurred on the main road in the Khyber district when the car, reportedly travelling at high speed, crashed into the truck coming from the opposite direction. The impact was so severe that the car was badly damaged, leaving five people dead, the Rescue officials said.

Rescue teams rushed to the scene soon after receiving information about the crash. All five injured passed away on the spot due to serious injuries. Their bodies were later shifted to a nearby hospital for medico-legal formalities, said the officials.

According to rescue officials, overspeeding appeared to be the cause of the accident. 

The mishap took place three days after a Chakwal district accident that claimed the lives of five bus passengers. 

Accident took place in the Dhok Pathan area of Chakwal district where a passenger bus plunged into a ravine on Wednesday.

Accidents are not uncommon in Pakistan and occur frequently due to various reasons, including driver negligence, road conditions and weather intensity, etc.

In a similar accident that occurred in December 2025, at least 11 people were killed after a bus overturned on the M-14 Motorway near Fateh Jang.

The victims hailed from Bahawalpur, Vehari, Sharaqpur and Islamabad, added the rescue officials.