‘Treated with the dignity anyone deserves’: Pat Cummins backs campaign for Imran Khan

Pat Cummins and Imran Khan

NEW DELHI: Australia captain Pat Cummins has thrown his support behind a campaign led by former international cricket captains seeking proper medical care and family access for jailed Pakistan great Imran Khan, saying the former all-rounder should be treated with “the dignity anyone deserves”. Cummins, one of the leading active cricketers in world cricket, backed the appeal on Friday after former Australia captain Greg Chappell and 20 other ex-international captains called for Khan to receive humane treatment and independent medical care. “Adding my support here to GC (Greg Chappell) 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 posted on X, quoting a short clip of Chappell expressing concerns about Khan’s wellbeing. The intervention makes Cummins one of the first active international cricketers to publicly speak out in support of the campaign surrounding Khan’s medical care.

Former captains seek medical care, family access

Khan, 73, has been in custody in Rawalpindi since 2023 after being convicted on corruption charges. He recently underwent a medical examination in Islamabad before being returned to prison. His sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, have expressed fears over their father's safety and claimed that attempts are being made to kill him. Cummins echoed the former captains’ call for Khan’s family to continue having access to him. The petition, led by Chappell and addressed to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has been signed by 21 former international captains, including India greats Sunil Gavaskar , Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar, as well as Sir Alastair Cook, Michael Atherton, Steve Waugh, Adam Gilchrist and Nasser Hussain. The signatories called for a comprehensive health evaluation by a Supreme Court-directed medical board that includes Khan’s personal physicians, uninterrupted weekly family visits and immediate implementation of any recommended treatment. “Imran Khan is 73 years old and has now spent more than three years in custody. 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,” the letter stated. The former captains described themselves as “former colleagues and rivals who share a bond forged on the cricket field” and argued that this bond “transcends the borders and disputes that too often divide countries”.

Chappell raises concerns over Khan’s health

Chappell had previously spoken about his concerns during an appearance on The Grade Cricketer podcast, recalling meeting Khan in Pakistan six years ago and describing him then as a “strong, robust older man”. “That’s not the case anymore. His right eye apparently has developed a disability… he’s struggling. He’s been in isolation for three years,” Chappell said. He also described seeing a recent video in which Khan was reportedly taken to hospital in a wheelchair.

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“He didn’t look well at all. He didn’t look robust. He didn’t look like he could really get around very much,” Chappell said. The former Australia captain also expressed concern about Khan’s reported isolation and its potential impact on his mental and physical health. Khan remains an iconic figure in Pakistan cricket history, having captained the country to its maiden ODI World Cup title in 1992. He later served as Pakistan’s prime minister from 2018 to 2022. Khan has denied wrongdoing and described the cases against him as politically motivated.

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