PCB Objects to Sky Sports Interview with Imran Khan's Sons
The Pakistan Cricket Board has lodged a formal objection with Sky Sports after the broadcaster aired an 18‑minute interview with Imran Khan’s sons during the lunch interval on the opening day of the Lord’s Test.
The segment, fronted by former England captain Michael Atherton and featuring Suleiman Khan and Kasim Khan, focused on their father’s health and fears for his safety in prison. What might have been a reflective lunchtime piece quickly turned into a flashpoint between boardroom and broadcaster.
PCB threatens player protest
Atherton recorded the interview at Lord’s on Wednesday, the day before the Test began. Sky Sports then teased the conversation in its pre-match coverage, flagging that the full piece would run during the first day’s play.
That plan set alarm bells ringing in Lahore.
According to Cricinfo, the PCB contacted Sky Sports before lunch on Thursday and objected to the scheduled broadcast. The board went further than a routine complaint: officials warned that Pakistan’s players could refuse to return to the field for the second session if the interview went to air.
Under that pressure, Sky initially held the segment back. The stand-off lingered through the morning, hanging over the match. Then, during the lunch break, the broadcaster pressed ahead and aired the interview in the UK.
Viewers in Pakistan never saw it. State broadcaster PTV, which holds the rights for the series, did not carry the Sky feed.
Imran’s sons raise alarm over health and safety
On camera with Atherton, Suleiman and Kasim spoke openly about their father’s condition behind bars. They voiced concern for Imran Khan’s health and personal safety, and described their efforts to secure what they regard as proper medical treatment.
Imran, Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup-winning captain and former prime minister, has been incarcerated for around three years. His family say his health and access to care have become increasingly fragile issues. In recent weeks, his sons have intensified their public appeals, pushing for greater medical access and more consistent treatment.
The interview added another layer to a story that has drifted from the cricket field into the courts and onto television screens.
Supreme Court order deepens the dispute
The backdrop is already fraught. Last week, Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered that Imran be admitted to Shifa Hospital in Islamabad. That directive appeared clear. The execution of it did not.
Instead of being taken to Shifa, Imran was transported to the government-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for a check-up and then returned to prison. His sisters and sons say the authorities ignored the court’s specific instruction. They have also continued to insist that he be examined by his own doctor.
Those claims have resonated beyond political circles. Former international cricketers have publicly urged that Imran receive better medical care, turning a domestic legal fight into a global cricket story.
Atherton among captains backing Imran
Atherton, who found himself at the centre of the Lord’s controversy, is also among a group of former players pressing Imran’s case off the field.
Last week, 21 former international captains signed a letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, calling on the government to ensure Imran receives proper medical attention in custody. The signatories included former captains from India, Australia, England, New Zealand and the West Indies, underlining the breadth of support from across the cricketing world.
It was not the first such intervention. In February, 14 former international captains had written to the Pakistan government with similar concerns. Reports say that earlier appeal went unanswered.
The PCB has not publicly addressed its reported complaint to Sky Sports, nor the threat of a player protest. The Pakistan government, for its part, has rejected allegations of mistreatment or obstruction. Speaking to the Associated Press last week, officials said Imran has received more than 900 visits from relatives, lawyers and doctors since his imprisonment in August 2023.
So a Test at Lord’s, usually a sanctuary for the game’s traditions, has become an unlikely stage for a wider battle over politics, player power and the reach of a television interview. The cricket will move on. The questions around Imran Khan’s health – and how far the sport should wade into that fight – will not.
