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The Pakistan National Cricket Team is currently in England for a three-match Test series. They are currently playing at Lord’s in the second Test match after being handed a thumping defeat in the first Test by an innings and 103 runs. Amidst this, a controversy arose as they threatened to boycott the Lord's Test over a Sky Sports interview with Imran Khan's sons.
This is not the first time that the Men in Green and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have threatened to boycott the match. There have been multiple instances, but eventually they have taken the field. However, in turn of events, there have also been instances when they did not take the field, citing various controversies.
In this article, we take a look at 3 times Pakistan threatened to pull out but played.
2025 Asia Cup - Handshake and Match Referee Controversy
Back in the 2025 Asia Cup during the India vs Pakistan game, the players did not exchange post-match handshakes, which caused some controversy, and the PCB decided not to take the field until the match referee, Andy Pycroft, was replaced by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The PCB urged the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft, claiming he instructed captains not to shake hands at the toss.
However, the apex body rejected their demand. After a one-hour delay from the scheduled time and internal discussions, the Men in Green arrived at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and played the game. Pycroft remained the official for the game against the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They eventually lost the final against India.
2026 T20 World Cup - India vs Pakistan match boycott
Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka, a controversy erupted as Bangladesh refused to travel to India citing security reasons amid their diplomatic tensions during that time. However, the ICC refused to change the venue to Sri Lanka, and they were removed from the tournament; only PCB showed solidarity during that time.
Thus, showcasing solidarity, ahead of the tournament, their government and the PCB decided to boycott the game against India. However, ICC strongly reprimanded the decision and warned that a boycott could undermine the sport's integrity and trigger big actions against the PCB. As the two teams took the field, they were outplayed by the Men in Blue and lost the match.
2026 Lord's Test- Boycott over Sky Sports interview with Imran Khan's sons
The team fielded on the first day of the 2nd Test, and they bowled well. However, the controversy arrived after Imran Khan's sons were interviewed without the PCB knowing the matter. Thus, the controversy arose, and the PCB reportedly threatened to pull out of the Lord’s Test.
The episode, which was filmed at Lord’s on the eve of the match, saw the sons of the former skipper express their worry about their father's deteriorating health and vision.
