The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has taken a key decision. It has removed former England captains and prominent commentators Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton from the commentary panel. The absence of their names in the six-member commentary team announced for the ongoing ODI tri-series in Pakistan has become a topic of discussion. The main reason for this decision seems to be the airing of a controversial interview with the sons of former Pakistan captain Imran Khan, who is in prison.

When the Pakistan team toured England this year, Michael Atherton interviewed Imran's sons Suleman and Qasim Khan on Sky Sports channel. At that time, they made sensational allegations that the authorities were neglecting their father in prison, keeping him in solitary confinement, and "trying to kill him openly". 

They expressed their grief that Imran spends more than 23 hours a day alone in a small room and that they were also denied visas citing 'technical reasons'. The PCB was outraged when the interview was broadcast during the Lord's Test. It was reported at the time that its players threatened to walk out of the field for the afternoon session in protest. 

The PCB also made an official complaint to Sky Sports. Pakistan's state broadcaster PTV did not broadcast the interview domestically. However, the Pakistani government denied these allegations. It clarified that relatives, lawyers, and doctors were not prevented from meeting Imran.

There are concerns about the health of Imran Khan, who has been serving a prison sentence since 2023. It is reported that he has lost 75% of his eyesight. Several former cricketers have written to the government demanding better treatment for him. 

Meanwhile, both Atherton and Hussain were on the commentary team when the England team toured Pakistan in 2024. Their removal is now seen as a retaliation for the controversy that took place at that time.