The England and Wales Cricket Board contacted the Foreign Office on the first day of the second Test at Lord's over fears Pakistan would not return after lunch.
Chief executive Richard Gould requested diplomatic assistance after the Pakistan Cricket Board threatened to delay the restart over a television interview with the sons of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan.
Pakistani concern began before the lunch interval when British broadcaster Sky Sports revealed plans to air an 18-minute interview conducted by former England captain Michael Atherton with Suleiman and Kasim Khan. The interview was recorded on Wednesday.
Imran Khan, 73, captained Pakistan to World Cup glory in 1992 before serving as prime minister from 2018. He has been in prison for the past three years on corruption charges that supporters believe were trumped up by the government. His sons told Atherton they fear for his life.
Political tension at Lord's
With Pakistan's interior minister Mohsin Naqvi also serving as chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, sport and politics in the country proved difficult to separate. The threat to delay Thursday's play emerged once it became clear that Khan's sons would criticize government policy.
Fearing a financial disaster similar to the 2006 Oval Test, Gould contacted officials at the Foreign Office for help if the situation escalated. During that match in London, Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq refused to lead his team back out after tea on the fourth day after his bowlers were accused of ball-tampering.
Resolution and broadcast changes
The situation at Lord's was defused after Sky Sports delayed broadcasting the 18-minute interview until the second half of the 40-minute lunch interval. By that point, Pakistani agitation had cooled and the players were ready to resume play.
The interview was replaced by advertisements on Pakistani television, which takes the international Sky Sports feed for the Test series. The Pakistan Cricket Board has not responded to requests for comment.
