Babar Azam says he hasn’t heard of PCB threat over Imran Khan’s sons interview

Pakistan captain Babar Azam has said he was unaware of reports that the Pakistan Cricket Board threatened to pull its players off the field at Lord’s during the second Test against England.

The dispute arose after Sky Sports broadcast an interview with the sons of former Pakistan prime minister and captain Imran Khan during the break between the first and second sessions on the opening day of the Lord’s Test.

According to Cricinfo, the PCB contacted Sky ahead of that break to register a formal protest and indicated that Pakistan’s players would not resume play if the interview went to air. Sky held back the broadcast initially before eventually airing the 18-minute clip. By the time it finished, Pakistan’s players were already preparing to walk back out for the second session, which resumed at 2.40 pm local time. Pakistan went on to lose the second Test by 194 runs. Babar stated that he was unaware of the developments and stated that he had not heard anything about the board’s reported decisions.

‘No, no, no. I haven’t heard that thing,” Babar said, speaking to BBC. Test Match Special.

What did Pakistan’s coach say about the interview?

Pakistan coach Sarfaraz Ahmed, speaking after play on Day 2, was also dismissive of the claims of the reported boycott, stating that the members in the dressing room were unaware of the interview and that they were having lunch at the time.

“I don’t know anything. I’m just focusing on the match. You’re talking about the interview? We don’t know about the interview. All are OK. We were having lunch at that time,” Sarfaraz said in the press conference after the second day, as quoted by the Indian Express.

What did Imran Khan’s sons say in the Sky Sports interview?

The interview was conducted by former England captain turned broadcaster Michael Atherton on behalf of Sky Sports and featured Imran Khan’s sons, Sulaiman Khan and Qasim Khan. The brothers spoke about their father’s health, who has been incarcerated in Pakistan for the last three years.

Imran’s sons used the Sky Sports platform to raise alarm about their father’s physical and mental condition. Reports had surfaced in January 2026 that his health had worsened and that he retained only 15 per cent of vision in his right eye.