CHENNAI: Legendary West Indies batter Brian Lara on Saturday joined former cricketers in seeking proper medical treatment for jailed former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying it is basic humanity to treat someone with compassion and dignity. Khan’s continued detention and reported health concerns have triggered criticism from his family and several former international cricketers. "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 in a post shared on X. "I am struggling to understand how someone who was once a beacon of hope, pride and inspiration for his country, at the height of his sporting career, could now find himself in a situation where he is not being cared for and treated with the compassion and dignity he deserves.
"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 played against Imran in four international matches during the West Indies' tour of Pakistan in late 1990. Several former greats, including India's Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev and Australia's Greg Chappell, have also called for Imran to receive proper medical treatment, while Australia captain Pat Cummins has publicly urged that the former Pakistan skipper be treated with dignity.
The issue gained wider attention recently after Imran's sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, spoke to former England captain Michael Atherton during Sky Sports' coverage of the second Test between England and Pakistan at Lord's.