Key Takeaways
- Former England captains Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain have pulled out of the upcoming ODI tri-series.
- Both applied for Pakistani visas, but Atherton is still waiting for his.
- The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced a new commentary panel without Atherton and Hussain.
Former England captains Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain have withdrawn from the upcoming ODI tri-series featuring Pakistan, England, and Sri Lanka. The decision comes after both applied for Pakistani visas, with Hussain receiving his the following day, while Atherton is still waiting.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a six-member commentary panel for the tri-series, which runs from October 18 to 31. The panel includes Waqar Younis, Aamir Sohail, Bazid Khan, and Urooj Mumtaz, along with Sri Lanka’s Roshan Abeysinghe and England’s Mark Butcher. Zainab Abbas will be the presenter.
Waqar Younis will join the commentary team from the second match, when Pakistan faces England at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on October 20. Atherton and Hussain were part of the commentary panel during England’s last tour to Pakistan in October 2024.
The development follows a controversy in August 2026, where Sky Sports aired an 18-minute interview with Imran Khan’s sons, Kasim and Sulaiman Khan, during the Lord’s Test between England and Pakistan. The interview was conducted by Atherton and raised serious concerns about Imran Khan’s health in prison.
The PCB objected to the political nature of the broadcast and filed a formal complaint against Sky Sports. Atherton later defended his role in the interview on a podcast with Hussain.
The tri-series begins on Sunday, October 18, with Pakistan taking on Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The tournament will then move to Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium for the remaining three league-stage matches on October 25, 27, and 29. The top two teams will qualify for the final, which will be played at Gaddafi Stadium on October 31.
Neither Atherton nor Hussain has publicly commented on the matter, and the reasons for their withdrawal remain unexplained. The PCB did not provide any reason for their absence from the commentary panel.
