Gavaskar, Border, Waugh Among 22 Former Captains Writing to Pakistan PM Over Imran Khan’s Health

Twenty-two former international cricket captains have written to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, renewing their appeal for proper medical treatment for Imran Khan. The letter is their second appeal to the Prime Minister in six months.

The signatories include some of the most celebrated names in cricket history: Sunil Gavaskar, Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Clive Lloyd, Kapil Dev, Ian Chappell and Greg Chappell among them. They describe themselves as writing “not as politicians, but as former colleagues and rivals who share a bond forged on the cricket field.”

Former Cricket Captains Call for Dignity and Urgent Medical Care for Imran Khan

Pat Cummins Becomes First Active Captain to Support Imran Khan Appeal

Every voice attached to this campaign so far has come from a former captain. Pat Cummins changes that.

The current Australia captain publicly added his support, writing on x that he was “adding my support here to GC and the other former international captains,” a reference to Greg Chappell among the original signatories. Cummins said he hoped the court-ordered medical assessment would be allowed to run its course, that family visits would continue, and that Imran Khan would be “treated with the dignity anyone deserves.”

Cummins is the first serving national captain to speak publicly on the issue. Every other name attached to this campaign, however senior, has spoken from retirement. An active captain doing so while leading Australia’s national team carries different weight than a retired legend’s statement, both because of his current standing in the sport and because it removes any suggestion that concern for Khan’s treatment is a cause only retired players feel comfortable attaching their name to.

Who Is Imran Khan?

Imran Khan is one of the greatest cricketers Pakistan has ever produced. He captained Pakistan to their only Cricket World Cup title in 1992, finishing as the tournament’s top all-rounder. He took 362 Test wickets at an average of 22.81 and scored over 3,800 Test runs, making him one of the finest fast-bowling all-rounders the game has seen.

After retiring from cricket, he entered politics and served as Pakistan’s Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022. He is currently imprisoned in Adiala Jail. The former captains who have signed this letter are writing in their capacity as his former colleagues and rivals from the cricket world, not as political commentators.

The Three Requests in the Letter

The letter makes three specific requests to the Prime Minister:

• That the medical board directed by the Supreme Court, including Khan’s own doctors, be permitted to complete a full and independent assessment of his health, particularly the reported loss of vision in his right eye
• That the weekly family visits reinstated by the Court be honoured without interruption or administrative delay
• That whatever the outcome of the medical assessment, the treatment recommended by it be provided without delay

What Prompted This Letter

Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered that Imran Khan be transferred to hospital for examination by a medical board that was to include his personal physicians and his sister, Dr Uzma Khan. The Court also reinstated weekly family visits.

According to the former captains’ letter, Khan’s hospital stay lasted only a few hours. He was examined by a state-appointed team rather than the board the Court had directed, declared medically fit, and returned to Adiala Jail before that board could complete its work.

This is the second letter from former captains to the Prime Minister. In February 2026, 14 former captains wrote expressing concern over reports that Khan had lost almost all vision in one eye.

All 22 Signatories: Country and Captaincy Era

Captain	Country	Captaincy Era
Michael Atherton	England	1993 to 2001
Alex Blackwell	Australia Women	2009 to 2016
Allan Border	Australia	1984 to 1994
Michael Brearley	England	1977 to 1981
Greg Chappell	Australia	1975 to 1983
Ian Chappell	Australia	1971 to 1975
Belinda Clark	Australia Women	1994 to 2005
Alastair Cook	England	2012 to 2016
Michael Gatting	England	1986 to 1988
Sunil Gavaskar	India	1978 to 1985
Lee Germon	New Zealand	1995 to 1996
Adam Gilchrist	Australia	2004 to 2008
David Gower	England	1984 to 1986
Kim Hughes	Australia	1979 to 1984
Nasser Hussain	England	1999 to 2003
Kapil Dev	India	1982 to 1987
Clive Lloyd	West Indies	1974 to 1985
Arjuna Ranatunga	Sri Lanka	1988 to 1999
Andrew Strauss	England	2006 to 2012
Dilip Vengsarkar	India	1987 to 1989
Steve Waugh	Australia	1997 to 2004
John Wright	New Zealand	1983 to 1988

Frequently Asked Questions

Who signed the letter about Imran Khan’s health? Twenty-two former international cricket captains signed the letter, including Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Ian Chappell, Greg Chappell, Clive Lloyd, Arjuna Ranatunga, Alastair Cook, Michael Atherton and Adam Gilchrist.

What are the former captains asking for? They are asking for three things: an independent medical assessment by the board the Supreme Court directed, uninterrupted weekly family visits as reinstated by the Court, and prompt delivery of any treatment recommended by that assessment.

Who is Imran Khan in cricket? Imran Khan captained Pakistan to the 1992 Cricket World Cup title, their only World Cup win. He took 362 Test wickets and scored over 3,800 Test runs, widely regarded as one of the greatest fast-bowling all-rounders in cricket history.

Is this the first time former captains have written about Imran Khan? No. In February 2026, 14 former captains wrote to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressing concern about reports of vision loss in Khan’s right eye. This August letter is their second appeal.

What is the concern about Imran Khan’s eyesight? Khan’s family has reported near-total vision loss in his right eye. The Supreme Court ordered a hospital examination by a specific medical board. According to the former captains’ letter, that board was not permitted to complete its work before Khan was returned to prison.