Urdu Report Editorial Team
Twenty-one former international cricket captains have written to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urging the government to ensure proper medical care and welfare for former Prime Minister and Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan.
The appeal, initiated by former Australia captain Greg Chappell, is the second such letter this year from former international cricket captains regarding Imran Khan’s medical treatment. The latest letter follows recent developments surrounding a Supreme Court order concerning Khan’s medical examination and treatment.
The signatories include former India captains Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar, as well as former Australian captains Allan Border, Ian Chappell, Greg Chappell and Steve Waugh. Former England captains Michael Atherton, Alastair Cook, Nasser Hussain and Andrew Strauss, West Indies great Clive Lloyd, Sri Lanka’s Arjuna Ranatunga and New Zealand’s John Wright are also among those who signed the appeal.
Twenty-one former international cricket captains urged Pakistan’s prime minister to ensure that jailed former premier Imran Khan receives an independent medical assessment, regular weekly visits from his family, and immediate treatment for any health issues identified. pic.twitter.com/v2hQYsYRxi
— Tariq Iqbal Chaudhry (@ChoudhryTariq) August 24, 2026
Former Captains Say They Are Not Intervening in Politics
In their letter, the former cricketers said they were writing not as politicians but as former colleagues and rivals who shared a bond with Imran Khan through cricket.
They said their appeal was not intended to interfere in Pakistan’s domestic legal or political matters. Instead, they wanted to ensure that the medical process ordered by the Supreme Court was properly completed and that Khan received appropriate medical care.
Three Key Demands
The former captains made three specific requests to the Pakistan government.
First, they called for the medical board directed by the Supreme Court, including Khan’s personal doctors, to be allowed to conduct a full and independent assessment of his health, particularly in view of reports concerning loss of vision in his right eye.
Second, they called for weekly family visits ordered by the court to be allowed without interruption or unnecessary administrative delays.
Third, they demanded that any treatment recommended following the medical assessment be provided without delay.
Concern Over Imran Khan’s Right Eye
The former captains expressed particular concern over reports that Imran Khan has suffered significant deterioration in the vision of his right eye.
They called for his medical condition to be independently assessed so that specialists can determine the appropriate treatment.
The appeal comes after the Supreme Court ordered that Khan be transferred from Adiala Jail to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for medical examination and treatment by a multidisciplinary medical board. The court also allowed his personal physician and sister, Dr Uzma Khan, to remain associated with his medical care.
Why Was Imran Khan Taken to Hospital?
Imran Khan was recently taken from Adiala Jail for a medical examination but was subsequently returned to prison.
The government has said security concerns prevented the originally intended hospital arrangements from being followed and has maintained that Khan was medically examined and found to be in satisfactory health.
Khan’s family and political party, however, have questioned whether the process fully complied with the Supreme Court’s directions. The government has rejected allegations of medical neglect and mistreatment.
Second Appeal by Former Captains
The latest letter follows an earlier appeal in February, when 14 former international captains urged the Pakistani government to provide Imran Khan with proper medical treatment and humane conditions.
Seven additional former captains have now joined the latest appeal, bringing the reported number of signatories to 21.
The former cricketers said that whatever legal or political arguments surround Khan’s case, ensuring that a court-ordered medical process is completed should not be considered a controversial deman
