West Indies great Brian Lara joins 21 former international captains urging Pakistan to ensure humane treatment, independent medical care and dignity for Imran Khan, reports Asian Lite News Desk
Former West Indies captain Brian Lara has joined a growing group of former international cricket captains calling for proper medical care and humane treatment for imprisoned former Pakistan captain and prime minister Imran Khan.
Lara, one of the most celebrated batsmen in cricket history, expressed concern over Khan’s condition in a social media post, saying the former Pakistan captain deserved independent medical care and the dignity afforded to every human being.
Although Lara and Khan crossed paths only a handful of times during their playing careers, Lara said the respect he developed for his former rival had been immediate and lasting.
The former West Indies skipper said he struggled to understand how someone who had once been a source of hope, pride and inspiration for Pakistan could now find himself in circumstances where questions were being raised over his medical care.
Lara’s intervention comes after a renewed appeal by 21 former international captains to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over Khan’s health and welfare.
The group includes prominent former captains such as India’s Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar, Australia’s Greg Chappell, Allan Border and Steve Waugh, England’s Michael Atherton, Alastair Cook, Nasser Hussain and Andrew Strauss, and West Indies great Clive Lloyd.
The captains have stressed that their intervention is not intended to interfere in Pakistan’s legal or political affairs. Instead, they say their appeal is based on their shared experience as former colleagues and rivals on the cricket field.
Their concerns centre particularly on reports about serious deterioration in Khan’s vision. In February, a lawyer appointed by Pakistan’s Supreme Court reported that Khan had been left with only about 15% vision in his right eye after experiencing worsening blurred and hazy vision while in custody.
The reported deterioration prompted Pakistan’s Supreme Court to order a medical examination and the formation of a medical board to assess Khan’s condition.
The 21 former captains renewed their appeal in August, saying they were concerned that developments surrounding Khan’s medical treatment had not fully reflected the court’s directions. They called for a comprehensive and independent assessment involving Khan’s personal doctors, uninterrupted weekly family visits and the prompt implementation of any treatment recommended by the medical board.
The latest appeal followed an earlier letter signed by 14 former international captains, who had also urged Pakistani authorities to ensure humane treatment and appropriate medical attention for Khan.
Khan, 73, has been imprisoned since 2023 following his removal from office the previous year. He remains a major political figure in Pakistan and has faced multiple criminal cases and convictions, which his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party has described as politically motivated.
His cricket career, meanwhile, remains central to his international standing. Khan captained Pakistan to its first and only men’s Cricket World Cup title in 1992 before moving into politics and eventually becoming prime minister in 2018.
The former captains have deliberately separated their appeal over his medical treatment from the wider political and legal disputes surrounding his imprisonment.
Their message has instead focused on the principle that a former international sportsman and public figure should receive appropriate medical treatment while in custody.
Lara’s intervention adds another prominent voice from the international cricket community to the growing calls for action.
By describing the issue as one of basic humanity rather than politics, the former West Indies captain has reinforced the central argument made by the former skippers: whatever the legal disagreements surrounding Khan’s case, concerns over his health and access to medical treatment should be addressed independently.
The renewed intervention from former cricket leaders across several countries highlights the unusual way in which Khan’s sporting legacy continues to connect him with figures beyond Pakistan’s political and geographical boundaries.
