'He Doesn't Deserve This': Cricket Legend Miandad Speaks Out Over Imran Khan's Imprisonment

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Former Pakistan skipper and batting legend Javed Miandad expressed concerns over former teammate and ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan's imprisonment and health, saying that he prays for a quick resolution of whatever is going on with him and that what is happening to him is "unnecessary".

Javed has become the first major Pakistan player to publicly speak on his imprisonment and has called for his release, as per Cricinfo. Miandad called for Imran, who has been in prison since 2023, to be released and offered him whatever help he needed.

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Speaking on the 'Narratives' podcast, Miandad said, as quoted by Cricinfo, "I pray that what is going on with him gets resolved, because he does not deserve this. What is being done to him is not right. It is unnecessary. He has a family too."

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"I think about it all the time, what he must be doing [in prison], what he must be thinking of. We were so close. We used to be together and think so much of each other. We took Pakistan to such new heights. I can't help but feel so sad about it," he added.

World Cup-winning teammates

Miandad, who played 124 Tests and 233 ODIs for Pakistan from 1975 to 1996 and scored 16,213 international runs with 31 centuries, was a contemporary of Imran during their days as players and was influential in Pakistan's success in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Both men also captained Pakistan during that period, but it was Imran who led Pakistan to World Cup glory in 1992, with Miandad as an influential figure during the campaign with 437 runs in nine innings with five fifties.

Miandad also spoke of his relationship with Imran during their days as players and rubbed out talk around a bitter rivalry between them, saying that they had a great time together.

"There was no rivalry between me and Imran. There was no fight between us. I have never complained that Imran wronged me in any way. I had a great career, which I am very thankful for. Imran and I played county cricket together too; we were together for more than half the year, either in county cricket or with Pakistan. We had a great time together," he said.

Growing concern over Khan's health

Imran's health has been a topic of massive scrutiny in Pakistan over the last few weeks, with his sons demanding proper health care for the legendary cricketer and former PM.

Last week, the country's Supreme Court ordered that he be shifted to Islamabad's Shifa Hospital. But he was taken to state-run PIMS and returned to prison just after his check-up. His sisters and sons have made serious allegations about the court order violation, demanding that Imran be allowed to see his personal doctor.

Twenty-two former international cricket captains wrote a letter to Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, renewing their appeal for medical treatment of former ODI World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan. It was a follow-up to a previous letter. 14 captains had written back in February, which received no reply from the Pakistani government.

Notably, the letter to Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif was signed by Michael Atherton, Alex Blackwell, Allan Border, Michael Brearley, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Alastair Cook, Michael Gatting, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Lee Germon, Adam Gilchrist, David Gower, Kim Hughes, Nasser Hussain, Clive Lloyd, Arjuna Ranatunga, Andrew Strauss, Dilip Vengsarkar, Steve Waugh and John Wright.

The current Australian captain Pat Cummins also voiced his support for Imran, reposting a video from The Grade Cricketer featuring former Australia captain Greg Chappell discussing Imran Khan's situation.

Sharing the video, Cummins voiced his support for the appeal by former international captains, saying he hopes the court-ordered medical assessment proceeds, family visits continue, and that Khan is treated with dignity.

"Adding my support here to GC and the other former international captains. I hope the court-ordered medical assessment is allowed to run its course and that family visits continue. I hope Imran Khan is treated with the dignity anyone deserves," Cummins said.

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