Pakistan cricket board considers pulling players over Sky interview with Imran Khan's sons

PCB's protest over Sky interview

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) considered keeping its players off the field after the lunch break on the opening day of the second Test against England at Lord's, in protest over a Sky Sports interview with the sons of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. According to reports, the PCB eventually settled for a formal complaint after the broadcaster aired the pre-recorded segment.

Sky Sports aired the interview during the lunch interval on the first day. It was conducted by former England captain Mike Atherton and featured Kasim and Sulaiman Khan, who expressed serious concerns about their father's health and treatment in detention. The PCB, which had objected to the inclusion of political themes in live cricket coverage, reportedly warned that it could keep players in the dressing room for the afternoon session if the feature was broadcast.

The PCB learned about the interview after Sky ran a teaser ahead of the Test. A formal complaint was sent to Sky Sports, according to sources aware of the development. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) was made aware of the complaint, and the ECB took advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in response to the tension, as reported by Yahoo News New Zealand. In Pakistan, the public broadcaster PTV, which uses Sky's pictures, did not air the interview.

Players unaware of threat

Despite the threat, Pakistan took the field as scheduled after lunch, and the match continued. Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed said he and his players were unaware of the PCB's protest. "I don't know anything. I'm just focusing on the match," he said at the end of the second day's play. Asked if there was ever a possibility his players would not return for the afternoon session, he said, "All are OK. We were having lunch at that time."

The PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi also serves as Pakistan's interior minister. The PCB declined to comment when contacted, but sources said a complaint had been filed. Sky received a complaint about the plan to broadcast the interview before it aired, and received no further complaints on Friday, according to Yahoo News New Zealand.

Imran Khan's health and international concern

Imran Khan, 73, has been in prison since August 2023 on corruption charges, which he denies. He has been convicted in one case and sentenced to 14 years in prison, and is held at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. In the interview, his sons expressed fears about his well-being, including a reported deterioration in his eyesight. He was recently taken for a medical examination at Shifa Hospital in Islamabad on the directions of Pakistan's Supreme Court but was brought back to prison after a check-up, The Hindu reported.

Concern over Khan's treatment has drawn international attention. Twenty-one former captains, including Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, and Mike Atherton, renewed an appeal to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for humane treatment and proper medical care for Khan, according to India Today. Khan led Pakistan to its only ODI World Cup title in 1992 and served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022.

The incident echoes a similar protest by Pakistan during the 2025 Asia Cup, when the PCB threatened to boycott a match against the UAE over match referee Andy Pycroft. Pakistan delayed their arrival and pushed back the start of the match by an hour, but eventually took the field after the ICC rejected the PCB's demand for Pycroft's removal. Naqvi later acknowledged that a boycott had been considered, according to India Today.

Match situation

Despite the off-field controversy, play resumed after lunch. Pakistan, having won the toss and opted to field, reduced England to 248 for nine in their first innings. Mohammad Abbas took four wickets for 56 runs, and Mohammad Ali took three for 67. Jamie Smith contributed 61 and Jordan Edwards 55 to rescue England from 80 for four. Babar Azam returned to the Pakistan XI after missing the series opener.

England had won the first Test at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs. At the end of the second day, England were 261 runs ahead at 81 for three in their second innings, as reported by Yahoo News New Zealand.

In October, England will tour Pakistan for a one-day tri-series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, their fourth tour of Pakistan in four years following a 17-year gap due to security concerns. The 2006 Test at The Oval, which was forfeited by Pakistan after a ball-tampering row, remains the only instance of a forfeited Test in history, a point noted in Yahoo News New Zealand's report, which highlighted the seriousness of the PCB's threats.