At Lord’s, the noise around the Test briefly threatened to drown out the cricket. It never did.
Babar Azam, walking off after defeat in the game’s spiritual home, found himself fielding questions not about England’s 194-run win, but about politics, pressure and a broadcast he insists he knew nothing about.
“No, no, no. I haven't heard that thing,” he told BBC Test Match Special when asked about reports of a threat to the continuation of the match. Pressed again on whether he was aware of such conversations, he cut it short: “No.”
The interview, conducted by former England captain Michael Atherton, had already become the most discussed 18 minutes of the Test. Recorded earlier, it went to air during the lunch interval on the opening day, dragging the Imran Khan saga right into the middle of a high-profile series.
Politics at lunch, cricket in the middle
Atherton’s piece centred on concerns raised by Imran Khan’s sons over the former Pakistan prime minister’s treatment, health and conditions in prison. It was sensitive, charged territory, and it landed in the middle of a tour on which Pakistan’s players had been explicitly told to stay away from politics.
Under Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB had laid down a clear line before the UK trip: no political comments, no matter the question, no matter the platform. The directive came in the wake of months of turbulence back home and the constant shadow of Khan’s fate.
When word emerged that the PCB had objected to the Atherton interview being broadcast, the mood around Lord’s tightened. There were murmurs about tension between board and broadcaster, speculation over whether the match itself might be affected, and questions about who knew what, and when.
Babar’s stance now matches that of head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed, who has already said that neither he nor the players were aware of any reported threat to the match going ahead. Whatever was discussed in boardrooms and production meetings, the dressing room, they insist, stayed focused on the cricket.
And when the lunch break ended, Pakistan did exactly what they were supposed to do. They walked back out. The game rolled on without delay, the controversy confined to the airwaves and the press box.
England seize the series
On the field, England were ruthless. The off-field storm did nothing to loosen their grip on the series.
Set 389 to win, Pakistan folded for 194. Saud Shakeel fought almost alone, crafting an innings that came within three runs of a century, but he ran out of partners and, with them, realistic hope. Each wicket tightened England’s hold; each Pakistan dismissal felt like another door slamming shut.
Pakistan’s task grew heavier without Imam-ul-Haq. The opener, sidelined by a calf injury suffered on the first day, never made it back to the crease. His absence ripped a hole in the top order and removed a layer of resistance England would gladly have had to work harder for.
The margin – 194 runs – told its own story. England didn’t just win; they dominated the decisive passages, controlled the tempo, and squeezed the life out of Pakistan’s chase long before the final wicket fell.
The victory carried extra weight. It ended England’s wait for a Test series triumph, their first since December 2024, and delivered an unassailable 2-0 lead in this three-match contest. For a side that has spent much of the past year answering questions about consistency, this was a statement at the right time, in the right place.
Next stop is Edgbaston. Birmingham will host the final Test from September 9, with England chasing a clean sweep and Pakistan searching for something more than damage limitation: a performance that can shift the narrative back from politics, backroom directives and disputed broadcasts, and onto the only thing they truly control – the cricket.
