Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton Pull Out of Pakistan Tour After Govt’s Mistake

Former England captains and Sky Sports commentators Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain have reportedly pulled out of travelling to Pakistan for the upcoming ODI tri-series featuring Pakistan, England, and Sri Lanka.

Key points

• The panel includes former Pakistan cricketers Waqar Younis, Aamir Sohail, Bazid Khan, and Urooj Mumtaz, along with Sri Lanka's Roshan Abeysinghe and England's Mark Butcher.
• Both Atherton and Hussain were part of the commentary panel when England last toured Pakistan for a three-match Test series in October 2024.
• The tri-series begins on Sunday, October 18, with Pakistan taking on Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
• When Pakistan face England at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on October 20, waqar will join the commentary team from the second match.
• The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday confirmed a six-member commentary panel for the tri-series.

According to a post on X, both applied for Pakistani visas. While Atherton is still waiting for his, hussain received his visa the after day. Both have now decided not to travel to Pakistan for the series.

Some reports on social media additionally stated the pair had decided not to travel for personal reasons. Neither commentator has publicly commented on the matter. Missing From the PCB Commentary Panel.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday confirmed a six-member commentary panel for the tri-series. It runs from October 18 to 31. Atherton and Hussain were not on the list, and the board did not offer any reason for their absence.

Notably, the panel includes former Pakistan cricketers 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.

Both Atherton and Hussain were part of the commentary panel when England last toured Pakistan for a three-match Test series in October 2024. Imran Khan Interview Row.

In practice, the development comes after a controversy in August 2026. During the Lord's Test between England and Pakistan, Sky Sports aired an 18-minute interview with former prime minister Imran Khan's sons, Kasim and Sulaiman Khan.

Notably, the interview was conducted by Atherton. In it, Imran Khan's sons raised serious reservations concerning their father's health in prison.

For context, the PCB objected to the political nature of the broadcast and filed a formal complaint against Sky Sports. Though it was not shown in Pakistan by state broadcaster PTV, sky still aired the interview.

Atherton afterwards discussed the problem on a podcast with Hussain and defended his role in the interview.

In practice, the tri-series begins on Sunday, October 18, with Pakistan taking on Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Pakistan's squad assembled in Rawalpindi earlier this week ahead of the opener.

England and Sri Lanka will meet in Rawalpindi on October 22. The tournament will then move to Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium for the remaining three league-stage matches on October 25, 27, and 29.

In practice, the top two teams will qualify for the final. It will be played at Gaddafi Stadium on October 31. Stay Connected with ProPakistani.

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In short, nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton Pull Out of Pakistan Tour After Govt's is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.