The PCB has made a formal complaint to Sky Sports after the broadcaster aired an interview with the sons of former prime minister and captain Imran Khan during the lunch interval on the first day of the Lord’s Test. Cricinfo understands the PCB considered the option of Pakistan not taking the field after the break in protest.
Former England captain and current Sky Sports broadcaster Mike Atherton conducted the interview, in which Imran’s sons Suleiman and Kasim Khan expressed concern about the health of their father, who has been in prison for three years, and said they feared for his life.
The PCB is understood to have contacted Sky ahead of the lunch break to protest, saying that their players would not return to the field after lunch if it aired. During those conversations, Sky delayed the broadcast, before eventually running the 18-minute clip. By the time it had concluded, Pakistan’s players were preparing to return to the field to resume the second session, at 2.40pm local time.
Atherton conducted the interview with Imran’s sons on Wednesday morning in the Writers’ Room at Lord’s, with Sky running a teaser in the build-up to this Test. In Pakistan, PTV, which is broadcasting the series, did not broadcast the interview.
Cricinfo understands that PCB wanted to raise a complaint with the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office as well.
Imran’s health has been the focus of growing scrutiny over the past few weeks, with his sons stepping up their efforts to get him appropriate health care. Last week, Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered him to be admitted to Shifa Hospital in the capital Islamabad. Instead, he was taken to the state-run PIMS, and returned to prison shortly after a check-up. Imran’s sisters and sons have alleged this was a violation of the court order, and have demanded he be allowed to see his personal doctor.
Last week, 22 former captains, including Atherton, wrote a letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urging him to ensure Imran receives proper care in prison. The letter included captains from India, Australia, England, West Indies and New Zealand. It was a follow-up to a previous letter 14 captains had written in February, one that received no reply from the Pakistan government.
Ultimately, Pakistan did take the field as scheduled after tea. Cricinfo has reached out to the PCB for official comment. The Pakistan government rejected allegations that Khan had been mistreated in prison or denied contact with his family and lawyers in a statement to Associated Press last week, saying that he had received more than 900 visits from his family, lawyers and doctors since his imprisonment in August 2023.
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