BBC apologises over Imran-Wasim mix-up

LONDON: A BBC show on Friday has issued an apology for showing the footage of Pakistan bowler Wasim Akram instead of Imran Khan, his former teammate-turned-politician and the Prime Minister-in-waiting.

Newsnight, the flagship show of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), aired on BBC2 channel, opened with a piece documenting Khan's journey from a cricketing hero to a potential prime minister.

But instead of showing the right-handed all-rounder in action, the footage of left-arm pace-bowler Akram demolishing a batsman's stumps was aired instead.

Eagle-eyed viewers picked up on the error and the programme subsequently apologised on Twitter.

Doctor Foster actor Prasanna Puwanarajah said: "Wow. Did Newsnight just use a clip of Wasim Akram to illustrate a story about Imran Khan? (Yes. They did.)"

At the end of the programme, presenter Evan Davis said: "We made a mistake in our opening tonight. The footage we showed was of the cricketer Wasim Akram not Imran Khan.

"Don't know how that happened, sincere apologies for that."