Cricket legends call for urgent medical care for Imran Khan

A group of former international cricket captains, including leading figures from Australia, England, India, the West Indies and New Zealand, have signed a petition urging improved prison conditions and immediate medical attention for former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan.

Among the signatories are former India captains Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, who joined more than a dozen ex-skippers in expressing “deep concern” over Khan’s health and treatment in custody.

Khan, 73, has been jailed since August 2023 after being convicted in multiple cases that he maintains were politically motivated following his removal from office in a 2022 parliamentary vote.

His lawyer recently informed the Supreme Court that Khan had experienced significant vision loss in his right eye while in prison. A medical board said this week that swelling had subsided after treatment and that his eyesight had shown improvement.

Despite strained ties between India and Pakistan, including military tensions last year, Gavaskar and Kapil Dev added their names to the appeal, describing Khan as one of cricket’s finest all-rounders. In the petition, the former players said recent reports about his health, particularly the deterioration of his vision, were alarming and had caused profound concern.

They stressed that the principles of fair play, honour and respect extend beyond the boundary rope, arguing that a figure of Khan’s stature deserves dignified treatment and basic human consideration befitting a former national leader and global sporting icon.

The Australian signatories include former captains Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Belinda Clark and Kim Hughes.

From England, former captains Mike Atherton, Nasser Hussain, Mike Brearley and David Gower also signed the petition. They were joined by Clive Lloyd of the West Indies and John Wright of New Zealand.

The group respectfully called on the Pakistani government to ensure Khan receives immediate and adequate medical care, dignified treatment and unhindered access to legal processes. They said that while rivalries may define cricket matches, mutual respect endures long after the stumps are drawn, adding that Khan embodied that spirit throughout his career.

The appeal follows similar calls from former Pakistan captains Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Ramiz Raja, who have urged authorities to provide their former teammate with urgent medical care.

Khan represented Pakistan in 88 Test matches and 175 one-day internationals between 1971 and 1992, leading the team to its only ODI World Cup triumph in 1992.