The start of the second Test at Lords between England and Pakistan was embroiled in controversy after Sky Sports telecasted an interview with former Pakistan captain and former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s son Kasim and Suleaiman during the lunch interval on the opening day of the Test. With reports emerging that the Mohsin Naqvi led Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had lodged an official complaint with the broadcasters and how PCB deliberated on not taking the field after the interview was aired. Pakistan captain Babar Azam had denied such reports and has shared how there was no conversation about such a possibility within the team as well as team management.

Speaking with BBC Test Match Special post Pakistan’s 194-run loss against England on Sunday, Azam was asked whether there was any question of Pakistan not taking the field after the lunch break on the opening day of the Lord’s Test. The Pakistan captain replied in negative. ‘No, no, no. I haven’t heard that thing,” said Azam, When asked further whether he was aware of any conversations going about such a possibility, Azam again replied in negative. “No,” Azam replied.

In the Sky Sports interview with host and former England captain Michael Atherton, Khan’s sons Kasim and Sulaiman had spoken about concerns regarding their imprisoned father’s health in Pakistan’s Adiala Jail. According to reports, PCB Chairman and Pakistan’s minister of interior affairs Mohsin Naqvi had requested Sky Sports not to air the interview before the broadcasters aired the interview. On the second day of the Test, Pakistan coach Sarfraz Ahmed was also asked about the interview and the reported threat by PCB. Ahmed replied in negative and shared he does not know about any interview. “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,” Ahhmed told reporters at the end of the second day’s play.

Kasim had shared in the interview about how Khan is being treated in the jail by Pakistan authorities. “They’re completely isolating him for more than 23 hours a day in a cell. So right now it’s really crucial for us that he gets proper treatment. When he was seen by them, he had an eye patch on from the eye situation. He seemed visibly stressed. And that is something that’s very hard for us to imagine because he embodies a kind of calm assured presence every time I have seen him, even in very very tough situations,” Kasim said in the interview.