A group of 21 former international cricket captains has appealed to Pakistan’s prime minister to ensure jailed former premier Imran Khan receives proper medical treatment and basic facilities, saying the authorities must comply with a Supreme Court order.

The letter, sent to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, marks the second such appeal from former captains in six months. It follows concerns that Imran’s treatment in custody and access to his family have not met the court’s instructions.

The Supreme Court had ordered that Imran be examined by a medical board and allowed weekly meetings with family members. He was recently taken to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad, but remained there for only a few hours before being returned to Adiala prison after an examination by a state-appointed team.

Former England captain Michael Atherton said the appeal was motivated not only by concern over Khan’s health but also by what he described as an effort by the Pakistani state to erase the former cricketer from public life.

“Yesterday, 21 former captains sent another letter, which was a humanitarian appeal to ensure that Imran Khan receives the medical care he needs,” Atherton said on a Sky Sports Cricket podcast. “But I think the main concern was the way the state is trying to erase Imran Khan.”

India’s 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev, who signed the letter, said the former Pakistani leader deserved the same basic rights as any prisoner.

“We want him to get the best medical treatment. We are not asking for anything else, nor are we seeking a response,” Kapil said. “We are simply making a request.”

The signatories include prominent former captains such as Sunil Gavaskar, Allan Border, Clive Lloyd, Steve Waugh, Alastair Cook, Graeme Smith, Kumar Sangakkara and Nasser Hussain, along with former women’s captains Belinda Clark and Alex Blackwell.

Imran, who served as Pakistan’s prime minister from 2018 to 2022, has been imprisoned since 2023 after convictions in several cases.