Australia's seven former captains write humanitarian letter over Imran Khan's custody

The seven former captains of the Australian side approached their minister for foreign affairs, Penny Wong, to raise humanitarian concerns over the custody of the former Pakistan minister and the captain of the team, Imran Khan. In the letter, the group made it clear that it would take no position on the legal case against Khan.    

He is currently detained at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi and has been imprisoned since August 2023 following convictions in many corruption and legal cases, which he maintains are politically motivated. 

Border, Waugh, and five others urge Penny Wong to act on Imran Khan's health

The signatories of the latter being sent to the minister are Allan Border, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Kim Hughes, Mark Taylor, and Steve Waugh, who have clarified that they had been writing not as political figures but as former captains, who felt it was hard to speak up.

This is the latest appeal on the part of the former players on behalf of Imran. A total of 22 former captains from around the world penned a letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, calling for better treatment for Imran, which they reckoned was short of the Supreme Court directive.

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Their requests are, firstly, that the medical board being directed by the Supreme Court be permitted to complete the full assessment of his health, particularly the reported loss of vision in his right eye; secondly, they want the weekly family visits without the administrative delay.

Whatever the outcome of the medical assessment is, the treatment recommended is provided without delay. The former 14 international captains, including Wasim Akram, Javed Miandad, and Moin Khan, spoke on the matter along with Australia’s Pat Cummins.

73-year-old Imran Khan has spent over three years in custody amid health concerns

The letter noted that Imran Khan’s sons and sisters have raised concerns over his health and treatment in custody, including the medical care, minimal access to legal counsel, and restricted family contact.

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Greg Chappell also requested a meeting with the foreign minister to have a discussion on the group’s behalf. Imran was temporarily taken to hospital in Islamabad for a medical evaluation in August 2026, but was returned to Adiala Jail after being deemed fit.

This was followed by an earlier letter from 22 international cricket captains, including former Indian players like Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar, to Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, based on a proper medical evaluation and on a regular family basis.