The Pakistan Cricket Board has locked in its commentary unit for the October 18–31 ODI tri-series, and two of cricket’s biggest voices are missing. Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain, who were part of the broadcast team when England toured Pakistan in 2024, have been left out without any public explanation. The panel now consists of Waqar Younis, Aamir Sohail, Bazid Khan, Urooj Mumtaz, Roshan Abeysinghe, and Mark Butcher, with Zainab Abbas presenting.
The snub comes two months after a flashpoint at Lord’s in August 2026. Atherton conducted an 18-minute interview with Kasim and Sulaiman Khan, sons of jailed former PM Imran Khan, during the Test break. The conversation, aired by Sky Sports, featured allegations that prison authorities were “blatantly trying to kill him” through neglect.
The PCB reacted sharply, filing a formal complaint with Sky Sports and even threatening a player walkout during the afternoon session. While PTV censored the segment, Atherton later defended the interview on a podcast, accusing the Pakistani state of trying to “airbrush Imran almost out of existence.”
Now, the fallout is professional. Waqar Younis joins the panel starting October 20 for the Pakistan-England match in Rawalpindi. The tri-series kicks off Sunday, October 18, with Pakistan facing Sri Lanka at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. What’s next: Pakistan hosts England again on October 25 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, with the final on October 31.