Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar (Image credit: Agencies)
MUMBAI: As many as 21 former international captains from nine cricketing nations, including India’s Sunil Gavaskar , Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar, have written to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, renewing their appeal for the medical treatment and welfare of Pakistan’s former Prime Minister and 1992 World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan , following developments this week that they say fall short of a directive of the Supreme Court of the country.
In February this year, 14 legendary captains from five countries — including Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Greg Chappell, a former head coach of Team India — had made a fervent, emotional appeal to the Pakistan government about ensuring proper treatment for Imran, amid mounting concerns about the cricketing icon’s health. 3. Imran Khan is 73 years old and has now spent more than three years in custody.
He was examined by a state-appointed team rather than the board the Court had directed, declared “medically fit,” and returned to Adiala Jail before that board could complete its work. “We’re not asking Pakistan for anything unusual — just that a court order most countries would take for granted is actually carried out,” said Greg Chappell, who took this initiative. Concerningly, Mr Khan’s hospital stay lasted only a few hours. His family and legal team say this falls short of what the court ordered. That whatever the outcome of that medical assessment, the treatment recommended by it be provided without delay. Whatever the legal and political arguments surrounding his case, the basic decency of ensuring a court-ordered medical process is actually completed is not, in our view, a controversial request. It is one we believe every nation that plays this game would recognise as fair. We hope this matter can be resolved expeditiously and with the dignity Mr Imran Khan deserves. Yours in cricket,”