The situation escalated during the rain-delayed lunch break
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) threatened to stop its players returning to the field after Sky Sports aired an interview with Imran Khan’s sons during day one of Pakistan’s Test against England at Lord’s.
Kasim and Sulaiman Khan spoke to Sky Sports during its coverage, raising concerns about the treatment of their father, Pakistan’s former prime minister and cricket captain.
During the interview with Sky Sports’ Michael Atherton, Kasim claimed the authorities were “trying to kill him” while discussing his father’s conditions in prison.
Kasim said: “It is not very clear what they are doing, just blatantly trying to kill him in there. Keep him in as long as possible and silence him.”
The PCB subsequently made a formal complaint to Sky Sports over the decision to broadcast the interview. The board was reportedly unhappy that Imran Khan’s sons were given airtime during the Test coverage.
The situation escalated during the rain-delayed lunch break, when PCB officials briefly threatened to prevent Babar Azam’s team from returning to the field.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) held discussions with the touring party and succeeded in resolving the situation.
Pakistan returned for the afternoon and evening sessions as planned, before bad light ended play shortly before 6 pm.
The PCB remained unhappy with the broadcast and is understood to have raised the matter with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Discussions with Pakistan’s touring party continued on Thursday night, although the ECB received assurances that the team would take the field for the second day.
The controversy comes as Imran Khan remains in prison after spending three years in solitary confinement.
The 73-year-old was moved to hospital last week for treatment after a Supreme Court ruling permitted his temporary release. He was subsequently returned to prison.
Khan’s family has repeatedly raised concerns about his treatment, while his lawyers have described his living conditions as slow-motion murder. His sister has also claimed that he has been tortured.
The former Pakistan captain’s situation has also attracted concern from prominent figures within the cricket world.
Twenty-one former cricketers, including Atherton, have campaigned for Khan to receive humane treatment and appropriate medical care.
The group published a joint letter in February calling “for humane treatment and proper medical care”. It issued another letter this week calling for “a full and independent assessment of his health”, particularly concerning his right eye.
The signatories include six former England captains, former India captain Kapil Dev and Australian greats Adam Gilchrist and Greg Chappell.
Khan’s lawyers have claimed that he has lost 85% of the vision in his right eye, which they attribute to his conditions in prison.
The dispute between the PCB and Sky Sports has therefore added a political dimension to an already significant Test match, with the broadcaster standing by its decision to air the interview despite the board’s objections.
