Published : 29 Aug 2026, 04:34 PM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:36 AM
Pakistan head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed has distanced his players from the controversy over Sky Sports’ interview with Imran Khan’s sons, insisting the team knew nothing about the dispute between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and English cricket authorities.
Sarfaraz was questioned about the row after the second day of the second Test against England at Lord’s, where Sky had broadcast Michael Atherton’s interview with Kasim and Sulaiman Khan during lunch on the opening day.
Asked about discussions between the PCB and the England and Wales Cricket Board over the broadcast, Sarfaraz said: “I don’t know anything. I’m just focusing on the match.”
When a reporter then asked whether there had been any suggestion that Pakistan might not return to the field after lunch because Sky went ahead with the interview, Sarfaraz interrupted with an emphatic: “No, no, no, no, no.”
“You’re talking about the interview? We don’t know about the interview,” NDTV Sports quoted him as saying.
“All are OK. We were having lunch at that time.”
His comments suggest the Pakistan players themselves were unaware of the PCB’s reported threat to keep the team off the field if Sky aired the interview.
The Guardian reported earlier that the board had tried to prevent the pre-recorded interview from being shown and lodged a formal complaint with Sky after it went ahead.
The PCB was reportedly unhappy that political material was being aired during Pakistan’s Test and at one stage threatened that the players would not return after the lunch interval.
The situation was ultimately defused following discussions involving the ECB, and Pakistan emerged as scheduled for the afternoon session.
Interview Sparks Row at Lord’s
Sky’s interview featured Kasim and Sulaiman raising concerns about the health and prison treatment of their father, Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister and 1992 World Cup-winning captain.
Among their claims, Kasim alleged that authorities were “blatantly trying to kill him”, while the brothers said Imran was being subjected to prolonged isolation and was not receiving adequate medical treatment.
Pakistani authorities have previously rejected allegations that Khan is being mistreated in custody.
The PCB’s objection did not prevent the interview from being shown to Sky viewers in Britain, but viewers in Pakistan did not see it.
Pakistan’s state broadcaster PTV, which is using Sky’s feed for the Test series, instead ran advertisements while the interview was being broadcast, according to NDTV.
Sky was also reported to have received no further complaint on Friday despite the controversy continuing into the second day of the Test.
