Australian captain Pat Cummins has backed a group of former international cricket captains calling for medical care and continued family access for former Pakistan captain and ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan. The pacer expressed his support after sharing a video from The Grade Cricketer in which former Australia captain Greg Chappell discussed Khan’s situation.
The appeal comes amid growing scrutiny in Pakistan over the former cricketer’s health and the treatment he has received while in prison. 22 former international captains have already written to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, renewing their request for Khan to receive appropriate medical treatment. They have written earlier in the year as well, when 14 former captains sent a letter, but it received no response from the Pakistan government.
Khan’s sons have also called for proper healthcare for their father, while his sisters and sons have raised concerns over access to his personal doctor and family visits. The issue escalated after Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered that Khan be transferred to Islamabad’s Shifa Hospital. Instead, he was taken to the state-run PIMS hospital for a medical check-up before being returned to prison. His family has alleged that the court’s order was not followed.
Cummins said he hoped the medical process would be completed and that Khan would continue to have access to his family. “Adding my support here to GC and the other former international captains. I hope the court-ordered medical assessment be allowed to run its course, and that family visits continue. I hope Imran Khan is treated with the dignity anyone deserves,” Cummins tweeted.
Which former captains wrote to Pakistan PM?
The letter to Shehbaz Sharif carries the names of prominent former captains from several cricketing nations. Those who signed it include Michael Atherton, Alex Blackwell, Allan Border, Michael Brearley, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Alastair Cook, Michael Gatting, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Lee Germon, Adam Gilchrist, David Gower, Kim Hughes, Nasser Hussain, Clive Lloyd, Arjuna Ranatunga, Andrew Strauss, Dilip Vengsarkar, Steve Waugh and John Wright.
Meanwhile, Khan, who led Pakistan to the 1992 ODI World Cup title, remains in prison while concerns surrounding his health and access to medical care continue to draw attention from members of the international cricket community.
Also Read:
Joe Root breaks Ricky Ponting's world record despite flop show in Lord's Test against Pakistan
