Former England captains Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton have been left out of the commentary team for the ongoing ODI tri-series by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Hussain and Atherton’s names were missing from the six-member panel announced by the PCB, following the airing of an interview with jailed former Pakistan captain Imran Khan’s sons. During Pakistan’s tour of England earlier this year, Sky Sports broadcast an interview with Imran’s sons, Kasim and Sulaiman Khan, which was conducted by Atherton.
It is worth mentioning that both Atherton and Hussain were part of the commentary team when England last toured Pakistan in 2024.
In the aftermath of the interview, which aired during the Lord’s Test, the PCB reportedly threatened to keep its players off the field for the afternoon session in protest.
During the interview, Kasim and Sulaiman alleged that the authorities were “blatantly trying to kill him” through neglect and isolation.
Kasim, Imran’s second son with Jemima Goldsmith, said that several political prisoners had died in jail and that the Pakistan government was planning to do the same to his father.
The two also claimed that the country’s former prime minister and World Cup-winning captain spends more than 23 hours a day alone in a small cell. They further alleged that the Pakistan authorities had refused to grant them visas on “technical grounds”.
However, the Pakistan government denied the claims, saying it had not barred Imran’s relatives, lawyers or doctors from meeting him.
The PCB reportedly threatened a player walkout due to the political nature of the interview and also lodged a complaint with Sky Sports. Pakistan’s state broadcaster, PTV, did not air the interview domestically.
Imran, who has been in jail since 2023, has reportedly lost 75% of his vision, raising concerns about his health.
Several former cricketers have written to the Pakistan government demanding medical attention for the 1992 World Cup-winning captain.
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