New Delhi, September 5, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Former West Indies captain Brian Lara has joined a growing group of former international cricket captains expressing concern over the treatment and health of imprisoned former Pakistan captain Imran Khan.
Lara took to social media to call for “proper, independent medical care” and dignity for the 1992 World Cup-winning Pakistan captain, saying his respect for Imran had been immediate and lasting despite their limited encounters on the cricket field.
“Imran Khan and I only crossed paths on the field a handful of times, but the respect I have for him was instant and lasting,” Lara wrote on Instagram.
The former West Indies captain said he found it difficult to understand how someone who had once been a source of hope, pride and inspiration for Pakistan during his sporting career could now be in a situation where he was allegedly not receiving the compassion and care he deserved.
“I stand with my fellow former captains in asking that he receive proper, independent medical care and the dignity every human being deserves. This isn’t politics. It’s basic humanity for a legend of our game,” Lara said.
His remarks came days after former captains including Greg Chappell, Pat Cummins, Javed Miandad, Moin Khan and Kapil Dev raised concerns over Imran’s health and treatment in custody.
Earlier, 21 former international captains signed a petition seeking dignified treatment and proper court-directed medical care for the former Pakistan skipper, who has spent more than three years in custody.
Among the signatories were Sir Alastair Cook, Michael Atherton, Steve Waugh, Adam Gilchrist and Nasser Hussain. The petition expressed concern over reports of significant vision loss in Imran’s right eye.
The former captains said that irrespective of the legal and political issues surrounding Imran’s case, ensuring completion of a court-ordered medical process was a matter of basic decency.
They called for three measures: a comprehensive health assessment by a Supreme Court-directed medical board that includes Imran’s personal physicians, uninterrupted weekly family visits, and immediate implementation of any medical treatment recommended by the board.
The signatories described themselves as former colleagues and rivals whose shared bond was forged on the cricket field and extended beyond the political differences separating their countries.
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