Sulaiman and Kasim Khan, sons of former Pakistan skipper Imran Khan, launched a scathing attack on the Pakistan Cricket Board and its chief Mohsin Naqvi, asserting that the administrators embarrassingly mishandled a threat to pull out of their Test tour in England. The fallout stemmed from a Sky Sports interview hosted by Michael Atherton, in which the brothers discussed their father's well-being—a segment that aired during lunch on Day 1 of the second Test at Lord's despite pushback from Pakistani officials.
Imran Khan's sons lambast PCB, Mohsin Naqvi
Although the broadcast experienced a brief delay amid protests from the board, the Pakistan team ultimately resumed play as scheduled. Extensive reporting from both British and Pakistani media highlighted the PCB's threat to walk away from the match, even as team management publicly distanced themselves; captain Babar Azam and head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed (who was subsequently relieved of his duties over performance issues) both denied having any awareness of a potential boycott.
'Board made absolute fools of themselves'
Speaking to The Telegraph, Kasim minced no words, stating that the board made "absolute fools of themselves" through their aggressive posturing. Sulaiman echoed his brother's frustration, admitting that while he anticipated a reaction, he was stunned by the board's heavy-handed maneuver of threatening to abandon the fixture. He emphasized that a sports board has no place interfering with a broadcast concerning a legendary ex-cricketer who lived in the UK for over two decades, adding that their conversation was focused purely on basic human rights and medical concerns rather than political agendas.
“They made absolute fools of themselves," Kasim told The Telegraph.
“I was expecting some sort of response. But I didn’t think they would be so tactless as to threaten not to take to the field. It shouldn’t be in the remit of the Pakistan Cricket Board to ask for an interview about an ex-Pakistan player, somebody who lived in England for 22 years, to be taken down. This wasn’t about politics, but about the humanitarian situation and his health," Sulaiman stated.
What's the fuss around Imran Khan?
With Imran Khan entering his third year of incarceration in Pakistan, his sons have raised urgent concerns regarding his deteriorating physical condition. The situation is further complicated by the political backdrop: PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi doubles as Pakistan’s interior minister, placing him directly on the opposing side of the political divide from the jailed former leader.
The family's concerns align with a growing international movement. A group of 21 former global cricket captains—including Indian legends Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, recently addressed a joint appeal to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, demanding appropriate medical intervention and basic welfare standards for the World Cup-winning captain.
This global call to action followed Imran's temporary transfer from Adiala Jail to a government hospital for court-mandated medical tests before he was returned to custody. The coalition of legendary captains requested that an independent, Supreme Court-mandated medical panel—incorporating Imran's personal physicians, be permitted to evaluate his health, specifically to address alarm over reports suggesting severe visual impairment in his right eye.