Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Greg Chappell are among the 21 former international cricket team captains who have written to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, requesting the government to provide “humane treatment and proper medical care” to Imran Khan - former Pakistan Prime Minister and the country's first-ever World Cup-winning captain.

The development came in after the authorities in Pakistan did not comply with the Supreme Court's August 18 orders to shift 73-year-old Khan from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad. The former Pakistan PM was ordered to be kept at Shifa International Hospital until the next hearing on September 16.

Instead, Khan was taken to the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad during the night of August 20-21 for medical examination and treatment before being returned to Adiala Jail. His sister Uzma Khan on Saturday filed a petition in the Supreme Court, accusing the government and senior officials of violating the top court's order.

Uzma has sought contempt proceedings alleging wilful violation of the Supreme Court's August 18 order.

The full letter reads as follow:

“His Excellency Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif

Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Prime Minister’s Office Islamabad, Pakistan

Appeal by 21 Former International Cricket Captains on the Medical Treatment and Welfare of Imran Khan

Dear Prime Minister, Six months ago, fourteen former international cricket captains wrote to you and the Pakistani government appealing for humane treatment and proper medical care for Imran Khan. We wrote then not as politicians, but as former colleagues and rivals who share a bond forged on the cricket field — one that transcends the borders and disputes that too often divide countries.

We write again now — joined by seven further former captains -because of what has reportedly just occurred. Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered that Imran Khan be transferred to hospital for examination by a medical board that was to include his own personal physicians and his sister, Dr Uzma Khan. The Court also reinstated weekly family visits. These were very welcome steps.

Concerningly, Mr 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.

His family and legal team say this falls short of what the Court ordered. We do not presume to adjudicate Pakistan’s domestic legal processes. That is not our place, and it was not the spirit in which we wrote in February. But we do ask, again, respectfully:

1. That the medical board directed by the Supreme Court — including Mr 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.

2. That the weekly family visits reinstated by the Court be honoured without interruption or administrative delay.

3. That whatever the outcome of that medical assessment, the treatment recommended by it be provided without delay. Imran Khan is 73 years old and has now spent more than three years in custody. Whatever the legal and political arguments surrounding his case, the basic decency of ensuring a court-ordered medical process is actually completed is not, in our view, a controversial request.

It is one we believe every nation that plays this game would recognise as fair.

We hope this matter can be resolved expeditiously and with the dignity Mr Imran Khan deserves.

Yours in cricket, 23 August 2026

Allan Border AO, Australian of the Year 1989

Stephen Waugh AO, Australian of the Year 2004

Khan's family and leaders of his political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, have termed the move a violation of the Supreme Court order and challenged the official action. In her petition, Uzma urged the top court to initiate contempt proceedings against the respondents for their "wilful, deliberate and contumacious disobedience and violation" of the order.

The respondents include PM Shehbaz Sharif, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and several senior government officials, including Adiala Jail Superintendent Sajid Baig.

The petition contended that the court was being approached in light of the "non-compliance and brazen violations" of the Supreme Court's order by the respondents. "It is clear from the respondents' own admissions that the court directions contained in the August 18 order were violated," it said.

It said the failure to shift Khan to Shifa International Hospital "leaves no manner of doubt" that the respondents had consciously chosen to disregard and violate the top court's order. It also said the respondents' conduct undermined the authority of the Supreme Court and warranted cognisance by the court.

The petition further requested the Supreme Court to issue show-cause notices to the respondents and direct them to appear personally. It also sought appropriate punishment against the respondents and asked the court to take all necessary steps to implement its directions for Khan's medical examination.

Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025.

While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen.

If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at koushik.paul@htdigital.in.

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