Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar & 19 Cricket Greats Write to Pakistan PM Over Imran Khan: ‘Basic Decency…’

Some of world cricket’s most prominent former captains have come together to raise concerns over the health and medical treatment of Imran Khan, urging the Pakistan government to ensure that a court-directed medical process is properly carried out.

In a letter dated August 23, 2026, 21 former international cricket captains appealed to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, seeking “humane treatment and proper medical care” for the 73-year-old former Pakistan Prime Minister, who led his country to its historic 1992 Cricket World Cup triumph.

Among the signatories are Indian legends Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar and Dilip Vengsarkar, alongside former international captains including Ian Chappell, Greg Chappell, Allan Border, Adam Gilchrist, Steve Waugh, Alastair Cook, Nasser Hussain, Clive Lloyd and Arjuna Ranatunga.

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The appeal follows a dispute over the implementation of an August 18 Supreme Court order concerning Imran Khan’s medical treatment.

According to the information cited in the letter, the court had ordered Khan’s transfer from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad, where he was to undergo examination by a medical board that would include his personal doctors and his sister, Dr Uzma Khan.

The former captains said they welcomed those directions but expressed concern over what reportedly happened afterwards.

Khan was instead taken to the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) during the night of August 20-21, where he underwent medical examination before being returned to Adiala Jail.

‘Basic Decency’ — Former Captains Make Three Requests

In their letter, the former cricketers stressed that they were not attempting to interfere in Pakistan’s domestic political or legal affairs.

Instead, they made three key requests: that the medical board directed by the Supreme Court, including Khan’s own doctors, be allowed to conduct a full and independent assessment; that court-restored weekly family visits be honoured; and that any treatment recommended following the assessment be provided without delay.

The letter also referred to reported concerns over loss of vision in Khan’s right eye.

“Whatever the legal and political arguments surrounding his case, the basic decency of ensuring a court-ordered medical process is actually completed is not, in our view, a controversial request,” the former captains wrote.

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They added that it was a request they believed “every nation that plays this game would recognise as fair.”

From Cricket Rivals to a Joint Appeal

The letter carries particular significance because its signatories spent years representing rival nations on the cricket field.

The group said their intervention was not political but based on a bond formed through international cricket, one they described as transcending borders and disputes.

The latest appeal follows an earlier letter sent around six months ago by 14 former international captains. This time, seven more former captains have joined the effort.

The signatories include Michael Atherton, Alex Blackwell, Allan Border, Michael Brearley, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Alastair Cook, Sunil Gavaskar, Lee Germon, Adam Gilchrist, David Gower, Kim Hughes, Nasser Hussain, Clive Lloyd, Kapil Dev, Arjuna Ranatunga, Andrew Strauss, Dilip Vengsarkar, Steve Waugh and John Wright.

Imran Khan’s Sister Moves Supreme Court

Meanwhile, Khan’s sister Uzma Khan has approached the Supreme Court, alleging non-compliance with its August 18 directions.

Her petition has sought contempt proceedings against those named as respondents, alleging “wilful, deliberate and contumacious disobedience” of the court’s order.

The respondents named in the matter reportedly include Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and other senior officials.

The petition has asked the court to issue show-cause notices and take steps to ensure that its directions regarding Khan’s medical examination are implemented.

These remain allegations raised before the court, and the legal proceedings will determine questions concerning compliance with the earlier order.

Imran Khan’s Cricket Legacy Remains Unique

Long before entering politics, Imran Khan was one of international cricket’s most celebrated all-rounders and captains.

His defining moment came in 1992, when he captained Pakistan to its first ODI World Cup title, cementing his place in the country’s sporting history.

More than three decades later, some of the players who were once his contemporaries and rivals are now united in a very different cause asking Pakistan’s government to ensure that the former captain receives the medical process directed by the country’s highest court.