The Pakistan Cricket Board has lodged a formal complaint with Sky Sports following the broadcaster’s decision to air an interview with the sons of former prime minister and cricket captain Imran Khan during the lunch interval on the opening day of the Test at Lord’s. Cricinfo has learned that the PCB contemplated having Pakistan’s players refuse to return to the field after the break in protest.
Former England captain and current Sky Sports presenter Mike Atherton conducted the interview, during which Imran’s sons, Suleiman and Kasim Khan, voiced concerns about their father’s health. Imran has been incarcerated for three years, and his sons expressed fears regarding his wellbeing.
The PCB reportedly reached out to Sky prior to the lunch interval to oppose the segment, warning that the Pakistani players would not emerge from the dressing room after the break if the interview went ahead. During these discussions, Sky postponed the broadcast before ultimately airing the 18-minute segment. By the time the interview concluded, Pakistan’s players were already making their way back onto the field to commence the second session at 2:40 PM.
Atherton conducted the interview with Imran’s sons on Wednesday morning in the Writers’ Room at Lord’s, with Sky having run a promotional teaser in the build-up to this Test. In Pakistan, state broadcaster PTV, which holds the rights to the series, chose not to transmit the interview.
Imran’s health has attracted increasing scrutiny in recent weeks, with his sons intensifying their efforts to secure appropriate medical care for him. Last week, Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered his admission to Shifa Hospital in Islamabad. However, he was instead taken to the state-run PIMS facility and returned to prison shortly after undergoing a check-up. Imran’s sisters and sons have alleged that this constituted a violation of the court order and have demanded that he be permitted to consult his personal physician.
Last week, 21 former captains, including Atherton, addressed a letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urging him to ensure that Imran receives adequate care while in prison. The signatories included former captains from India, Australia, England, the West Indies, and New Zealand. This letter served as a follow-up to an earlier communication sent by 14 captains in February, which went unanswered by the Pakistani government.
Pakistan ultimately returned to the field as scheduled after tea. Cricinfo has reached out to the PCB for official comment. In a statement to the Associated Press last week, the Pakistani government denied allegations that Khan had been mistreated in prison or denied access to his family and legal representatives, asserting that he had received more than 900 visits from family members, lawyers, and doctors since his imprisonment in August 2023.