Pakistan Cricket Board Threatens Lord’s Test Walkout Over Imran Khan Sons’ Interview

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A political controversy spilled into the England-Pakistan Test at Lord’s after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly considered keeping its players off the field in protest against a Sky Sports interview with the sons of former Pakistan captain and prime minister Imran Khan.

The dispute emerged during the opening day of the second Test between England and Pakistan on Thursday. Sky Sports broadcast a pre-recorded interview featuring Sulaiman and Kasim Khan, who spoke with former England captain and broadcaster Michael Atherton about their father’s health and treatment in prison. 

According to reports, the PCB contacted Sky Sports before the lunch interval and objected to the planned broadcast. The board reportedly warned that Pakistan's players could refuse to return to the field for the afternoon session if the interview was aired. 

Despite the warning, Sky Sports went ahead with the programme and aired the interview. The PCB subsequently lodged a formal complaint with the broadcaster over the segment. 

During the interview, Imran Khan's sons expressed serious concerns about their father's condition while he remains imprisoned. They raised allegations concerning his isolation, access to medical care and contact with his family. Their comments came amid growing international attention over the former Pakistan captain's wellbeing. 

The controversy was eventually defused and Pakistan returned to the field after lunch, allowing the Test to continue. Reports said the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) was involved in efforts to prevent the dispute from disrupting the match. 

The incident has nevertheless created an unusual intersection between cricket and Pakistan's political tensions. Imran Khan remains one of the country's most prominent political figures and is also regarded as one of Pakistan's greatest cricketers, having captained the national team to its 1992 World Cup triumph.

The controversy took another turn on Saturday when Pakistan head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed said neither he nor the players were aware of the PCB's reported plans to withdraw from the Lord’s Test. 

What began as a disagreement over a television interview therefore briefly threatened to overshadow an important Test match—and highlighted once again how closely Pakistan's cricket and political affairs can become intertwined.