In an unprecedented show of cross-border solidarity from the global cricket community, 21 legendary former international cricket captains have added their voices to calls for the Pakistani government to ensure proper, uninterrupted healthcare for imprisoned ex-prime minister and former Pakistan cricket captain Imran Khan. This open letter, addressed to Islamabad on Sunday, marks the second such appeal from the group, following an earlier statement focused on Khan’s medical access released in February.
Imran Khan, 73, has been held in custody since 2023, after he and his wife were sentenced to a combined 17 years of imprisonment on corruption charges that the pair have repeatedly and vehemently denied. A former cricket star who led Pakistan to a historic World Cup victory in 1992 before entering politics and serving as prime minister from 2018 to 2022, Khan’s legal and political battles have gripped the nation for more than two years. He was ousted from office in 2022 via a no-confidence vote amid rising tensions between his administration and Pakistan’s powerful military establishment, and has since faced dozens of overlapping legal cases on charges ranging from corruption to contempt of court. Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party have consistently maintained that all legal proceedings against him are politically motivated, a claim the government denies.
Earlier this week, Pakistan’s Supreme Court responded to growing concerns over Khan’s deteriorating health, ordering that he be transferred to Islamabad’s private, top-tier Shifa International Hospital for a full medical evaluation. On Friday, just hours after completing court-ordered check-ups, the 73-year-old was sent back to his jail cell, prompting renewed anxiety among his supporters and global observers over his condition, specifically the reported vision loss he has experienced in his right eye.
The open letter from cricket’s legendary leaders lays out three clear, specific demands to Pakistani authorities. First, the group calls for the Supreme Court-ordered independent medical board to be allowed to complete a full, unimpeded health assessment of Khan, with particular attention paid to his reported eye issues. Second, they urge authorities to fully uphold the court’s ruling restoring weekly family visits to Khan, with no administrative delays or unnecessary interruptions to these visits. Finally, the cricket leaders demand that any treatment the medical assessment recommends be implemented immediately, without political or bureaucratic hold-up.
The list of signatories to the letter includes some of the biggest names in international cricket history, spanning across major cricketing nations. From India, the signatories include Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar, all former captains of the men’s national team. Six former England captains have added their names: Michael Atherton, Michael Brearley, Nasser Hussain, Andrew Strauss and David Gower. Australia’s contingent includes six legendary skippers: Allan Border, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Adam Gilchrist, Steve Waugh and Kim Hughes. Rounding out the signatories are Clive Lloyd, the iconic former West Indies captain, and John Wright, former men’s skipper of New Zealand.
Khan’s arrest in May 2023 sparked massive, widespread protests across Pakistan that saw thousands of his supporters take to the streets, with some demonstrations turning violent. The unrest led to hundreds of arrests of PTI supporters and leaders, and has deepened the ongoing political crisis in the South Asian nation.