The group includes some of Australia’s most prominent former cricket leaders, including Allan Border, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Kim Hughes, Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh.
In their letter, the former captains said they were approaching the issue in their capacity as former cricketers rather than political figures. Their main concern, they said, was the treatment and wellbeing of a fellow cricketer while in detention.
The former Australian captains stressed that they were not taking a position on the legal or political cases involving Imran Khan. They said those matters were for Pakistan’s legal and political system to address.
Instead, their appeal focused on Khan’s health, access to appropriate medical care and contact with his family. They described the issue as one of basic humanitarian concern that should remain separate from political differences.
The appeal comes amid increasing international attention over the former Pakistan captain’s health and conditions in detention. In August, a group of 22 former international cricket captains also wrote to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, calling for improved medical care for Khan and the implementation of measures previously ordered by Pakistan’s Supreme Court.
Those requests included an independent medical assessment involving Khan’s own doctors, the restoration of regular family visits and timely medical treatment based on the findings of the medical board.
Several former Pakistani cricketers, including Wasim Akram, Javed Miandad and Moin Khan, have also expressed concern about Khan’s wellbeing. Australia’s current captain Pat Cummins has similarly supported calls for appropriate medical treatment.
According to the letter, former Australia captain Greg Chappell had also sought a meeting with Foreign Minister Penny Wong last month to discuss the matter but had not received a response at the time of the appeal.
Imran Khan, 73, has remained in prison since 2023 following a series of legal cases. His supporters have repeatedly described his imprisonment as politically motivated, while Pakistani authorities have rejected such claims.
Before entering politics, Khan was one of Pakistan’s most celebrated cricketers. He captained Pakistan to its first and only Cricket World Cup title in 1992 and later became the country’s prime minister in 2018.
The latest intervention by former Australian cricket captains does not amount to a request for Khan’s immediate release. Instead, it highlights their concerns about his welfare, medical treatment and ability to maintain contact with his family while in detention.