Former Captains Call for Independent Medical Assessment and Family Access
Twenty-two international cricket greats, including 21 former national captains, have appealed directly to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to ensure jailed former prime minister and Pakistan cricket legend Imran Khan receives medical treatment in accordance with recent Supreme Court directives.
The appeal was reported by ESPN Cricinfo on Sunday and comes amid a growing controversy over Imran’s medical treatment following his brief visit to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad.
The group includes some of the biggest names in international cricket, among them Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Adam Gilchrist, Alastair Cook, Nasser Hussain, Clive Lloyd, Arjuna Ranatunga and Ian Chappell.
In their letter, the former players stressed that their appeal was humanitarian rather than political.
They said they were writing as Imran’s former colleagues and rivals from the cricket field and were not seeking to interfere in Pakistan’s legal or political affairs.
Their central demand is that the Supreme Court’s medical directions be implemented fully and without further delay.
Supreme Court Had Ordered Transfer to Shifa International Hospital
The Supreme Court ordered on August 18, 2026, that Imran Khan be transferred from Adiala Jail to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad within 48 hours for examination and treatment.
The court directed that he be assessed by a multidisciplinary medical board and allowed access to his personal physician.
The order followed months of concern over Imran’s health, particularly problems affecting his right eye and reports of significant deterioration in his vision.
The former cricketers welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision, particularly the requirement for an independent medical assessment and the restoration of weekly family visits.
However, they expressed concern over what happened when the former prime minister was eventually taken out of Adiala Jail.
Instead of being admitted to Shifa International Hospital as directed by the court, Imran was taken to the government-run PIMS during the night between August 20 and 21.
He remained there for only a few hours before being returned to prison.
The government said the change of hospital was necessary because of security concerns around Shifa International Hospital.
PTI rejected that explanation and accused the authorities of violating the Supreme Court order. The party has since moved the Supreme Court seeking contempt proceedings.
Cricketers Raise Concern Over Medical Board and Eye Condition
According to the letter, the former cricketers were particularly concerned that Imran was examined by a state-appointed medical team rather than the full board contemplated by the Supreme Court.
They noted that he was declared medically fit and returned to Adiala Jail before, in their view, the court-directed medical process had been completed.
The signatories asked the government to allow the medical board directed by the Supreme Court, including Imran’s own doctors, to conduct a complete and independent assessment.
They specifically highlighted concerns regarding his reported loss of vision in his right eye.
Imran has been receiving treatment for right central retinal vein occlusion, or CRVO, an eye condition that became publicly known earlier this year.
His family and legal team have repeatedly raised concerns about the effect the condition could have on his eyesight. Reuters reported in February that his lawyers told the Supreme Court he had suffered significant vision loss, although a medical board later said swelling had reduced following treatment.
The cricket greats also called for the restoration of regular family visits without administrative delays.
They further requested that whatever treatment is recommended after a complete medical assessment be provided promptly.
Missed CT Angiography Adds to Medical Controversy
The appeal comes as a separate controversy grows over a recommended CT coronary angiography, or CTA, that was reportedly not carried out during Imran’s visit to PIMS.
Medical sources said a CTA had been recommended to assess his coronary arteries and possible cardiac risk.
However, the test was not performed before he was returned to Adiala Jail.
Initial reports suggested the required facility was unavailable at the PIMS Cardiac Centre.
It later emerged that a 128-slice CT scanner capable of conducting CTA was operational in the hospital’s radiology department, raising questions about why Imran was not referred there for the procedure.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of the issue and ordered an inquiry.
A committee has been constituted to determine why the relevant facility was not available or used and to establish responsibility for the failure to conduct the recommended examination.
PTI has separately demanded that the CTA be carried out at Shifa International Hospital under independent medical supervision.
Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Border and Waugh Among 22 Signatories
The letter carries the names of prominent former players from several major cricket-playing countries.
The signatories are:
Michael Atherton, Alex Blackwell, Allan Border, Michael Brearley, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Alastair Cook, Michael Gatting, 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.
The group includes former captains from England, Australia, India, West Indies, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
Their intervention reflects Imran Khan’s unique position as both a former head of government and one of the most internationally recognised cricketers Pakistan has produced.
Imran captained Pakistan to its historic 1992 Cricket World Cup victory and is widely regarded as one of the finest all-rounders in the sport’s history.
Several Cricket Legends Had Raised Concerns Earlier This Year
This is not the first time international cricket figures have publicly raised concerns about Imran’s treatment in prison.
In February, a group of former international captains, including Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, appealed to Pakistani authorities over his medical condition and prison treatment.
At that time, they called for adequate healthcare, dignified treatment and access to legal processes.
The latest letter comes after the Supreme Court itself intervened in the dispute over Imran’s medical care.
That intervention has now become the central issue, with PTI arguing that the government failed to follow the court’s instructions while the government maintains that Imran received appropriate medical attention.
Imran Has Remained in Jail Since August 2023
Imran Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 and has faced numerous criminal cases since his removal from office through a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022.
He has repeatedly argued that the prosecutions against him are politically motivated.
The government denies that allegation and maintains that the cases are being handled through Pakistan’s judicial system.
His health has become an increasingly sensitive political and legal issue in recent months.
PTI has accused authorities of failing to provide transparent and timely medical care, while government representatives have maintained that medical examinations have not shown an emergency requiring the treatment demanded by the party.
The dispute has intensified following the Supreme Court’s August 18 order, Imran’s brief visit to PIMS, the missed CTA examination and PTI’s subsequent contempt petition.
The intervention by 22 internationally recognised cricket figures now adds further international attention to the issue.
Their appeal stops short of commenting on Imran’s criminal cases or Pakistan’s political disputes.
Instead, they have asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to ensure that the medical assessment, treatment and family access ordered by the Supreme Court are provided in full.
