NEW DELHI, Feb 18: From India’s Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev to Australia’s Greg Chappell and Allan Border, and England’s Mike Atherton, some of the sport’s most storied former captains have united in an extraordinary joint appeal urging Pakistan’s government to ensure humane treatment for imprisoned former prime minister and World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan.

In an open letter dated February 17 and signed by 14 former captains spanning six decades, the group called for Khan to be treated with “dignity and basic human consideration,” granted urgent medical attention from doctors of his own choosing, and given fair and transparent access to legal processes.

The initiative, Atherton revealed in The Times, was spearheaded by Greg Chappell, who rallied the cricketing fraternity to present a united voice amid growing concern over Khan’s health. Atherton reported that the 73-year-old is at risk of losing sight in his right eye.

Khan, who famously led Pakistan to its only World Cup triumph in 1992 in Australia, later founded the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party and served as prime minister from 2018 until his removal through a no-confidence vote in 2022. He has been detained since August 2023 and is currently serving two separate prison sentences of 17 and 14 years. His supporters insist the charges are politically motivated, a claim Pakistani authorities deny, maintaining that the legal proceedings are lawful and that no individual is above the rule of law.

According to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, Alice Jill Edwards, Khan has been subjected to extended solitary confinement at Adiala prison in Rawalpindi, reportedly spending up to 23 hours a day in his cell under constant surveillance.

The signatories — who include West Indies great Clive Lloyd, New Zealand’s John Wright, and Australian trailblazer Belinda Clark — were careful to stress that their appeal was made “without prejudice to any legal proceedings.” Still, the symbolism of former on-field adversaries standing shoulder to shoulder carries significant weight.

Within Pakistan, support has also grown. Legendary fast bowlers Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, along with Ramiz Raja, Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi, have publicly urged authorities to allow their former captain proper medical care. For many in Pakistani cricket, Khan remains a mentor and father figure.

“Our shared history on the field reminds us that rivalry ends when the stumps are drawn — and respect endures,” the letter states.

In a sport long celebrated for bridging divides between nations, the message from cricket’s elder statesmen is clear: whatever the politics, dignity and fair treatment must prevail.