Imran Khan finds support in Australia: 7 ex-captains make humanitarian appeal

Imprisoned Imran Khan has found support from seven former Australian captains who have written to Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong to express concerns about the treatment of the former Pakistan captain in custody.

Allan Border, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Kim Hughes, Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh are signatories to the letter, which raises concerns about Khan’s health, medical care and access to his family and legal advice.

The former Australian captains have made it clear that they will not take a stand on the legal or political cases against Khan. Instead, they said they were speaking as former cricket captains who felt compelled to raise what they described as a matter of “basic humanity”.

The letter to Wong is the latest in a series of calls from prominent cricket figures over Khan’s treatment in Pakistan custody.

IMRAN KHAN’S HEALTH Raises Concerns

Khan, 73, has been incarcerated in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail since 2023 after being convicted in corruption cases. His prolonged detention and reported health problems led to calls from his family and former cricketers for him to receive proper medical attention.

The latest letter noted that Khan’s sons and sisters had repeatedly expressed concerns about his condition, including limited medical care, limited contact with family and minimal access to legal advice.

Former Australian captains said their concerns centered on the treatment of a person in custody regardless of their political position.

This is not the first time that former international captains have written to the Pakistani authorities over the matter. On 23 August, 22 former captains from around the world wrote to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, asking for better medical treatment for Khan.

That letter urged the authorities to allow a medical commission ordered by Pakistan’s Supreme Court, including doctors selected by Khan, to conduct a full and independent assessment of his health. She also called for court-ordered weekly family visits to be resumed without interruption and for any treatment recommended by the medical examiner to be provided without delay.

The appeal in August followed an earlier letter in February signed by 14 former international captains.

AUSTRALIAN CRICKET PLAYERS GREAT SPEAKS

The latest intervention adds some of Australia’s biggest cricket names to a growing list of former players calling for Khan to be given the proper treatment.

Greg Chappell also requested a meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister Wong last month to discuss the matter on behalf of the group. However, he did not receive an answer.

Several former Pakistani cricketers have also spoken publicly about Khan’s situation, including Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram and Moin Khan. Current Australia captain Pat Cummins has also earlier called for the former Pakistan captain to be treated with dignity.

West Indies’ Brian Lara was one of the last high-profile former captains to speak. Lara said she struggles to understand how someone who was once a source of hope and inspiration for Pakistan could now find herself in a situation where she was not cared for with compassion and dignity.

The latest letter from seven former Australian captains continues this international cricket appeal, carefully focusing away from Khan’s political and legal battles and his treatment in custody.

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Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

15 Sep 2026 13:08 IST