Indian cricket icons Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev have joined a growing international appeal calling for improved prison treatment for Pakistan’s former prime minister and cricket great Imran Khan.
A petition signed on Tuesday by more than a dozen former international captains expressed serious concern over Khan’s health and the conditions of his imprisonment. Imran Khan, now 73, has been jailed since August 2023, after being convicted in a series of cases which he claims were politically motivated following his removal from office in a 2022 parliamentary vote.
According to Khan’s lawyer, the former cricketer has suffered a significant loss of vision in his right eye while in custody. Pakistan’s Supreme Court was informed of the issue last week. A medical board later said on Monday that swelling had reduced after treatment and his vision had improved.
Despite strained relations between India and Pakistan — including military conflict last year — Gavaskar and Kapil Dev signed the petition, saying they were “deeply concerned” about Khan’s treatment.
“Many of us competed against him, shared the field with him, or grew up idolizing his all-round brilliance, charisma, and competitive spirit,” the petition stated.
The signatories added that reports of Khan’s deteriorating health, especially the decline in his vision, along with his prison conditions over the past two and a half years, were deeply troubling.
The appeal called on the Pakistan government to ensure immediate and adequate medical care, dignified treatment, and unhindered access to legal processes for Khan.
Several former Australian captains also signed the petition, including Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Belinda Clark, and Kim Hughes. From England, former captains and leading players Mike Atherton, Nasser Hussain, Mike Brearley, and David Gower joined the call. The petition was also signed by Clive Lloyd of the West Indies and John Wright of New Zealand.
“Our shared history on the field reminds us that rivalry ends when the stumps are drawn — and respect endures,” the petition said, describing Khan as someone who embodied that spirit throughout his cricket career.
Imran Khan played 88 Test matches and 175 One-Day Internationals for Pakistan between 1971 and 1992, and famously led Pakistan to its only ODI World Cup victory in 1992.
Speaking to Reuters, Khan’s son Kasim Khan said the immediate concern was his father’s health, but added there were other critical issues, including his freedom, respect for human rights, and ensuring a fair trial under the rule of law.