Gohar Shah almost bowled his way into Lahore Qalandars — now he owns Multan Sultans

Before Gohar Shah became the majority owner of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Multan Sultans and the CEO of CD Ventures, he was chasing a very different dream: playing professional cricket.

Shah revealed during a recent television programme that he had been selected in the Lahore Qalandars trial programme, only to have his chance derailed by injury.

“I attended the Lahore trial in 2017… I think in 2016 or 2017… at Qaddafi Stadium. They used to hold trials in every city. So, I went to the one in Lahore and I think I bowled four or five balls,” Shah recalled.

One of his deliveries was clocked at 84 mph, and he was immediately selected. But just days before the tournament started, an untimely injury forced him out, paving the way for other players like Salman Irshad and Maz Khan, who later joined Lahore Qalandars.

“All selected boys went to Muzaffarabad for the tournament. Unfortunately, I got injured a couple of days before it,” Shah said. “That was when Salman and Maz emerged.”

The injury effectively ended Shah’s chances of playing professional cricket in Pakistan, but it did not end his connection to the game. He shifted from aspiring player to cricket entrepreneur, eventually acquiring a majority stake in the PSL franchise Multan Sultans.

Under his leadership, CD Ventures successfully petitioned the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to rename the newly established Sialkot Stallionz franchise as Multan Sultans, restoring the city’s identity in the league. The rebranding was confirmed by PCB and PSL officials, and the franchise’s annual value increased following the ownership change.

Today, Shah stands at the helm of one of Pakistan’s top T20 teams, demonstrating that while injuries may end playing dreams, they can sometimes lead to even bigger victories off the field.