Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam has firmly denied reports that the team considered not taking the field after lunch on Day 1 of the just-concluded Lord’s Test against England.
The controversy arose after Sky Sports aired an interview with former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan's sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, who raised alarm over their father's deteriorating health and isolation in Adiala Jail.
Subsequently, several reports claimed that the PCB threatened abandoning the match and the remaining tour over the interview.
However, Babar said he was completely unaware of any dressing room discussion regarding a walkout.
“No, no, no. I haven't heard that thing,” Babar told BBC Test Match Special after Pakistan’s crushing 194-run defeat in the Lord’s Test.
When Babar was further asked about whether he was aware of such conversations, the skipper simply stated, “No.”
Earlier, Pakistan head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed mirrored this statement, citing that the team was simply focused on having lunch and didn’t know anything about the interview.
Meanwhile, it is reported that the PCB has instructed its players touring England to remain silent regarding the imprisonment of Imran Khan.
This was after British journalists tried to extract reactions from Pakistani players following recent international appeals regarding Khan’s medical care in prison.
Recently, 21 former international cricket captains—including Indian greats Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar—signed a joint letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif demanding immediate, adequate medical care and humane treatment for Imran, who has been in prison since 2023 over corruption charges.
While no former Pakistani cricketers were among the letter's signatories, Imran’s former teammate Javed Miandad has called for his release, describing him as a very honest person.
With the massive defeat at Lord’s, Pakistan also conceded an unassailable 2-0 lead to England in the three-match Test series. The third and final Test will be played at Edgbaston from September 9.
