The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a six-member commentary panel for the boys’s ODI tri-series that includes Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka, scheduled from October 18 to 31. Former England cricketers Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain are missing from the record, with the board providing no rationalization.
Atherton interviewed Kasim and Sulaiman Khan, the sons of jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister and World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan, for Sky Sports round seven weeks in the past. The interview drew robust objections from the PCB and sparked a wider dispute over the printed.
Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain Missing from PCB’s Commentary Panel
Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain are among the best-known voices in cricket broadcasting. Each had been part of the commentary group when England last toured Pakistan for a three-match Check series in October 2024.
Their absence from the upcoming ODI tri-series has attracted consideration amid the controversy involving Atherton.
The PCB announced the six-member panel on Saturday. It consists of former Pakistan internationals Waqar Younis, Aamir Sohail, Bazid Khan and Urooj Mumtaz, alongside Sri Lankan commentator Roshan Abeysinghe and former England batter Mark Butcher. Zainab Abbas will function the presenter.
Waqar Younis will miss the opening match and join the commentary group for the second fixture, when Pakistan face England at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on October 20.
What Occurred During Michael Atherton’s Imran Khan Interview?
Michael Atherton interviewed Kasim and Sulaiman Khan in the course of the England-Pakistan Check at Lord’s in August 2026. Sky Sports aired the 18-minute phase, in which Imran Khan’s sons raised considerations about their father’s health and remedy in prison.
They alleged that authorities had been trying to harm him by medical neglect and prolonged isolation. The PCB strongly objected to the interview’s political content material and lodged a formal complaint with Sky Sports.
The dispute escalated, with the board reportedly contemplating keeping Pakistan’s players off the field for an afternoon session in protest. Sky Sports went ahead with the printed, whereas Pakistan’s state broadcaster, PTV, censored the phase.
Michael Atherton later discussed the controversy with Hussain on a podcast and defended his decision to conduct the interview. He said the Pakistani state was trying to “airbrush Imran virtually out of existence.” The PCB has not linked the commentators’ omission to the dispute or publicly explained its decision.
Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka Tri-Sequence Schedule
The ODI tri-series will begin on October 18, with Pakistan taking on Sri Lanka at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. England will face Pakistan at the same venue on October 20, followed by England’s match in opposition to Sri Lanka on October 22.
The event will then move to Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium for the remaining league matches on October 25, 27 and 29. The top two groups within the standings will qualify for the ultimate, which is scheduled for October 31 at the same venue.
The event will give all three sides invaluable 50-over match practice. With the 2027 World Cup approaching, the tri-series can even supply them a chance to fine-tune their combinations and construct momentum ahead of the event.
Source: cricketaddictor.com
