Some of cricket’s most celebrated figures, from Sunil Gavaskar to Greg Chappell, set aside old rivalries on Tuesday and signed a joint appeal demanding that Pakistan’s government treat the imprisoned former prime minister and World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan with basic dignity, provide urgent medical care and guarantee fair access to courts.
The open letter was signed by 14 former captains spanning six decades of the game, including Mike Atherton of England; Allan Border, and Ian and Greg Chappell, of Australia; Gavaskar and Kapil Dev of India; Clive Lloyd of the West Indies; and John Wright of New Zealand.
Speaking to The , Kapil said, “The former international captains and I have signed the letter. I stand by what is said in the letter regarding Imran Khan.”
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Writing in The Times, London, Atherton said the initiative originated with Greg Chappell, who rallied the group and provided the impetus for a united voice from the cricketing world — a pointed rebuke to Islamabad at a moment of deepening concern over Imran’s health.
“As fellow cricketers who understand the values of fair play, honour, and respect that transcend the boundary rope, we believe that a person of Imran Khan’s stature deserves to be treated with the dignity and basic human consideration befitting a former national leader and a global sporting icon,” reads the open letter dated February 17.
Imran, 73, led Pakistan to its only World Cup victory, in 1992 in Australia, a triumph that cemented his status as a national icon. He later entered politics, founding the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, and served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022, when he was removed from office in a no-confidence vote.
He has been held in detention since August 2023 on a slew of charges that his supporters maintain are politically motivated, and is currently serving two separate sentences of 17 years and 14 years.
Concerns over Imran’s physical condition have mounted sharply in recent weeks. Atherton reported in The Times that the former
Imran is being held at Adiala prison in Rawalpindi where, according to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, Alice Jill Edwards, he has been subjected to extended periods of solitary confinement, confined to his cell for 23 hours a day with severely restricted access to the outside world and under constant camera surveillance.
The captains outlined three specific demands: “medical attention from doctors of Mr. Khan’s own choosing”; “humane and dignified conditions of detention in line with international standards”, including regular visits by close family members; and “fair and transparent access to legal processes without undue delay or hindrance”.
The signatories were careful to note that their appeal was made “without prejudice to any legal proceedings”.
Within Pakistan, the cricket fraternity has been rallying in support of Imran. Atherton noted in The Times that Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, two of Imran’s most celebrated fast-bowling proteges, took to social media . Their calls were echoed by Ramiz Raja, Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi. Imran is regarded as a father figure to many in Pakistani cricket.
The letter invoked cricket’s long history as a bridge between nations. “Our shared history on the field reminds us that rivalry ends when the stumps are drawn — and respect endures,” the signatories wrote. Several competed directly against Imran during his playing career, which stretched from 1971 to 1992.
The breadth of the group, crossing national, generational and political lines, lent the appeal unusual weight. Belinda Clark of Australia, widely regarded as one of the greatest women’s cricketers in history, was also among the signatories.
The other signatories include Michael Brearley, David Gower and Nasser Hussain (England); and, Kim Hughes and Steve Waugh (Australia).
Pakistani government officials have previously described the charges against Imran as lawful and have rejected characterisations of his prosecution as political persecution, arguing that no individual, regardless of their standing, is above the rule of law.
