**England‑Pakistan Test at Lord’s disrupted by dispute over interview with Imran Khan’s sons**
*London, 3 September 2026* – A controversy surrounding an interview with the sons of former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan threatened the England‑Pakistan Test match at Lord’s on Friday.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) lodged an objection to a Sky Sports interview featuring Khan’s sons, Kasim and Sulaiman Khan, which was recorded by former England cricketer Mike Atherton. The PCB suggested that the interview could lead to the Pakistani team being instructed not to return for the afternoon session of the match. In response, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) consulted officials from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and considered raising the issue with the UK Foreign Office.
Sky Sports initially delayed broadcasting the interview while it reviewed the PCB’s concerns. The segment was eventually aired during the interval, after which the Pakistani side resumed play.
Pakistan head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed declined to comment on the interview, stating, “I don’t know anything. I’m just focusing on the match. We don’t know about the interview.”
In the interview, Kasim and Sulaiman Khan expressed “deep concern” about their father’s treatment in prison. They alleged that restrictions were “tightening further the sense of isolation and torture” and claimed that the Pakistani authorities were “blatantly trying to kill him in there.” The brothers also said that Imran Khan had lost 80 percent of the vision in one eye, was confined to a “very small cell” for 23 hours a day, and was denied air‑conditioning despite high temperatures.
The PCB and the Pakistani government rejected the allegations. A spokesperson for the PCB said that Imran Khan is being held as a “convicted prisoner” and that he has access to exercise facilities, books, television and home‑cooked meals. The spokesperson added that Khan has received more than 900 visits since his detention began in 2023.
The dispute highlighted the sensitivity surrounding the former prime minister’s imprisonment and its impact on the ongoing cricket series. The match continued after the interview was aired, with no further interruptions reported.
Article source: easterneye.biz | Image credit: EasternEye
