A strange incident has reportedly taken place in England during the ongoing Test series against Pakistan. On Day 1 of the second Test at Lord’s, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly asked Sky Sports not to broadcast an interview with legendary captain Imran Khan’s sons, Suleiman and Kasim Khan, during the lunch break. According to reports, the PCB even threatened that Pakistan’s players would not return to the field if the interview was aired.

Despite the request, Sky Sports went ahead with its scheduled programme and showed the 18-minute interview. The interview was conducted by former England captain Michael Atherton, who was also among the 21 former cricket captains who recently wrote to Pakistan’s Prime Minister about Imran Khan’s worsening situation in prison.

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Reports from several media outlets, including ESPNcricinfo and The Guardian, said the PCB was unhappy about Imran Khan’s sons receiving attention during the Test match. The board reportedly told the team that Babar Azam and his players would not take the field if the interview was broadcast.

Sky Sports, however, did not remove the interview from its schedule. Pakistan eventually came back out for the post-lunch session after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) reportedly stepped in to help resolve the situation.

The controversy comes at a time when concern over Imran Khan’s condition has been growing. Two letters have now reportedly been sent by former cricket captains from around the world to Pakistan’s Prime Minister regarding his situation. The first letter was prepared in February but did not lead to the change the captains had hoped for. The second letter was sent earlier this week after Imran was moved back to Adiala jail following a brief medical check-up.

During the interview, Suleiman and Kasim spoke openly about their concerns for their father. They said they feared for his safety and believed there was a serious threat to his life while he remains in prison.

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Imrah Khan, who captained Pakistan in 1992 and helped their side to win their maiden ODI World Cup, has been in jail since 2023 after being convicted in several cases. He has received prison sentences of 10, 14 and 17 years in corruption-related cases.

Ahead of the 2024 general elections, he was also handed a seven-year sentence in a case linked to the timing of his marriage to his current wife, following her divorce.