Former India captain Kapil Dev has joined 21 other former international cricket captains in urging Pakistan to ensure proper medical care and humane treatment for jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The group has written to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, asking authorities to follow court orders related to Khan's medical treatment and family visits.

Kapil Dev, speaking during an interaction with NDTV, stressed that the appeal is about Khan's basic well-being and is separate from the legal cases against him. "Law is a Law for everybody," he said.

'Give Him Better Treatment'

Kapil Dev emphasised that Khan, a former World Cup-winning captain and Prime Minister, should receive adequate facilities and medical attention while in prison. "Give him whatever the least one person at that place reached there. Of course, he was a former prime minister. They have to see that the condition of the place where they put him and other medical facilities should be good enough," he urged.

He added that the cricket community was only asking for better treatment, regardless of the allegations against Khan. "As a cricket fellow, we can ask Pakistan and request them, give him a better treatment. Law will take their time, but you can give them a better treatment," Kapil Dev said. "We are only concerned about that, not concerned about what he has done wrong or right."

Call for Independent Medical Assessment

The former captains have called for an independent medical assessment by the medical board ordered by Pakistan's Supreme Court, including Khan's personal physicians. They have specifically sought an assessment of reports that Khan has suffered a loss of vision in his right eye — a concerning development given his prolonged incarceration.

The group has also asked Pakistan to restore Khan's court-ordered weekly family visits without delays. They want any treatment recommended by the independent medical board to be provided promptly and without bureaucratic hurdles.

Star-Studded Lineup of Signatories

The appeal was initiated by former Australia captain Greg Chappell and marks the second such intervention by international cricket figures in six months. The list of signatories reads like a who's who of world cricket, with Indian legends Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, and Dilip Vengsarkar joined by former captains including Clive Lloyd, Alastair Cook, and Allan Border.

The group said its appeal is strictly non-political and stems from their shared connection to cricket and concern over basic humane treatment. "We the captains have called for an independent medical assessment," the letter stated, reinforcing that their collective voice carries the weight of decades of sporting leadership and a deep personal bond with Khan, who led Pakistan to the 1992 Cricket World Cup title.

For Kapil Dev, who lifted the World Cup for India in 1983, the message is simple: cricketing bonds transcend borders and politics, and the least a former sporting icon and head of government deserves is dignity and adequate healthcare while in custody.