Former International captains renew appeal to Pakistan PM over Imran Khan’s medical treatment

A group of former international cricket captains has renewed its appeal to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, calling for proper medical treatment and welfare measures for former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan.

According to a letter dated August 23, 2026, the former cricketers have once again written to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, saying they are deeply concerned about recent developments surrounding Imran Khan’s medical care. The accompanying post states that 22 former international captains have signed the renewed appeal, while the letter itself is headed “Appeal by 21 Former International Cricket Captains on the Medical Treatment and Welfare of Imran Khan.”

The letter says that 14 former international captains had initially written to the Pakistani government six months ago, appealing for humane treatment and appropriate medical care for Imran Khan. Seven additional former captains have now joined the latest appeal.

The former cricketers stressed that their intervention was not intended to be political. Instead, they described themselves as former colleagues and rivals who share a bond forged through cricket, a relationship that, in their view, transcends political disagreements and national borders.

Concerns over Supreme Court directions

The captains referred to directions issued by Pakistan’s Supreme Court regarding Imran Khan’s medical examination and family visits.

According to the letter, the Supreme Court had ordered that Imran Khan be transferred to a hospital for examination by a medical board that was to include his own personal physicians as well as his sister, Dr Uzma Khan. The Court had also reinstated weekly family visits.

The former captains welcomed those directions but raised concerns over their implementation.

They claimed that Imran Khan’s stay at the hospital lasted only a few hours and that he was examined by a state-appointed team rather than the medical board directed by the Court.

The letter further states that the state-appointed team declared him “medically fit” before he was returned to Adiala Jail.

The signatories said Imran Khan’s family and legal team believe that the process fell short of what the Supreme Court had ordered.

Three key demands

The former captains have placed three specific demands before the Pakistani authorities.

First, they want the medical board directed by the Supreme Court, including Imran Khan’s own doctors, to be allowed to conduct a full and independent assessment of his health. Particular concern has been raised over reports of a loss of vision in his right eye.

Second, they have called for the weekly family visits reinstated by the Court to be honoured without interruption or administrative delays.

Third, they have demanded that, regardless of the outcome of the medical assessment, any treatment recommended by the medical experts should be provided without delay.

The former captains said they were not seeking to adjudicate Pakistan’s domestic legal processes, stressing that this was not their place. Instead, they framed their appeal around humanitarian concerns and the need for appropriate medical care.

High-profile names among signatories

The list includes several prominent former international captains from different cricketing nations.

Among them are former England captains Michael Atherton, Michael Brearley, David Gower, Nasser Hussain, Sir Alastair Cook and Sir Andrew Strauss.

Australia is represented by former captains including Allan Border, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Adam Gilchrist, Kim Hughes and Stephen Waugh.

Former West Indies captain Sir Clive Lloyd is also among the signatories, while Sri Lanka’s Arjuna Ranatunga has signed the appeal.

Three former Indian captains are also listed: Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar and Dilip Vengsarkar.

The renewed intervention by the former cricket captains puts fresh international attention on the issue of Imran Khan’s health and medical treatment, while their three-point appeal specifically calls for compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions and immediate access to any treatment deemed necessary by an independent medical assessment.