{
  "id": 3017457,
  "title": "Give Imran Khan proper medical care, cricket legends urge Pakistani gov’t",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/give-imran-khan-proper-medical-care-cricket-legends-urge-pakistani-3017457",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-24T10:54:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Island Sri Lanka",
    "slug": "the-island-sri-lanka",
    "url": "http://island.lk/give-imran-khan-proper-medical-care-cricket-legends-urge-pakistani-govt/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Pakistani Prime Minister and cricket icon Imran Khan requires \"humane treatment and proper medical care,\" assert 21 cricket legends in a letter obtained by Al Jazeera. The letter, addressed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, calls for an independent health assessment, reinstated family visits, and prompt medical treatment for the 73-year-old, who has been incarcerated for three years. Khan's legal battle began in 2020 when he was charged with a series of offenses. Following a Supreme Court order on Tuesday, Khan was transferred from Adiala jail to Shifa International Hospital, a privately-run facility. However, his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), filed a contempt petition on Saturday after Khan was relocated to a state-run institution instead of the private hospital ordered by the court. The cricket greats, including legends Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Clive Lloyd, Allan Border, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, John Wright, and David Gower, penned the letter, emphasizing their shared bond forged on the cricket field. They assert that the recent events have compelled them to intervene, reiterating their concerns over Khan's deteriorating health and mistreatment during his imprisonment.",
  "summary": "Pakistan’s imprisoned former prime minister and cricket captain, Imran Khan, must be given “humane treatment and proper medical care”, urge a group of cricket greats in a letter seen by Al Jazeera and addressed to Pakistan’s current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Twenty-one former captains from around the world have appealed to Sharif’s government to allow […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Former cricket captains appeal to Pakistan over Khan health care",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/former-cricket-captains-appeal-to-pakistan-over-khan-health-care",
        "published": "2026-08-24T00:37:44.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "What’s in the Imran Khan letter? Gavaskar, Kapil make three requests to Pakistan PM",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/whats-in-the-imran-khan-letter-gavaskar-kapil-make-three-requests-to",
        "published": "2026-08-24T02:48:18.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Live Mint",
        "title": "Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, among former 22 cricket captains wrote letter to Pakistan PM over Imran Khan's health",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/kapil-dev-sunil-gavaskar-among-former-22-cricket-captains-wrote",
        "published": "2026-08-24T08:47:50.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Give Imran Khan proper medical care, cricket legends urge Pakistani gov’t",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/give-imran-khan-proper-medical-care-cricket-legends-urge-pakistani",
        "published": "2026-08-24T09:33:07.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Times",
        "title": "Gohar rejects speculation about Imran Khan deal",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/gohar-rejects-speculation-about-imran-khan-deal",
        "published": "2026-08-24T10:58:16.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}