The segment was filmed at the ground on Wednesday, during which Imran Khan’s sons voiced grave worries regarding their father’s medical condition and worsening eyesight. The Pakistan Cricket Board registered a formal complaint with Sky Sports and contemplated keeping its squad off the pitch during the second Test against England at Lord’s, as per a report Cricinfo. Controversy flared on the opening day when the broadcaster broadcast a pre recorded discussion led by former England captain Mike Atherton featuring Kasim and Sulaiman Khan, who are the offspring of jailed former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Pakistan won the toss and elected to field after Babar Azam returned to the lineup following a hand injury that sidelined him during the series opener. The governing body of Pakistan cricket took strong exception to the introduction of political topics into live sports broadcasting and indicated it might refuse to send players out for the afternoon session if the feature went live. Sky postponed the piece before transmitting it during the lunch interval. Officials subsequently lodged an official grievance, though the team eventually relented and reentered the field for the afternoon resumption. The England and Wales Cricket Board received notification of the protest through British media channels, while the domestic broadcaster of the Test series chose not to transmit the interview. The dispute detracted from an otherwise vastly improved opening day for the visiting side at Lord’s. Following a failure by players from India and Pakistan to exchange traditional handshakes after a match in Dubai, the PCB demanded the dismissal of match referee Andy Pycroft, alleging he failed to stop the incident. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi escalated the situation while holding the presidency of the Asian Cricket Council, leading Pakistan to threaten a boycott of their subsequent fixture against the UAE if Pycroft stayed on duty. The team eventually participated against the UAE after arriving late and delaying the start by an hour. The International Cricket Council dismissed the removal request, leaving Pycroft in charge. Pycroft later apologized to Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha and the team manager, though the ICC clarified the apology addressed a communication breakdown rather than the handshake controversy.
Mohammad Abbas claimed 4 for 56 while Mohammad Ali secured 3 for 67 as the hosts slumped to 248 for 9 across 56 overs before fading light forced an early conclusion. Jordan Cox contributed 55 and Jamie Smith added 61 to salvage the innings after the home side dropped to 80 for four. Pakistan required a strong showing following an innings and 103 run defeat to England in the opening fixture at Headingley. This friction mirrors previous diplomatic tensions during the 2025 Asia Cup.
Naqvi later admitted officials contemplated a boycott before the team ultimately took the field.
