Former Pakistan cricket legend Javed Miandad has publicly called for the release of imprisoned former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan, becoming the first high-profile Pakistani cricketer to openly speak out on Khan's incarceration. Speaking on the Narratives podcast, Miandad grew emotional and broke down in tears as he appealed for Khan's freedom.

Miandad's Emotional Appeal

'There's so much respect in the world for Imran. He has given Pakistan so much. We should think about that. We need to bury the hatchet. He's a former prime minister... God forbid, if something happens to him in jail, all of Pakistan will weep. And at that time, they will all ask why they did this to Imran,' Miandad said.

He went further, urging authorities to simply let Khan go. 'Just release him; what difference does it make to you? If something like this can happen to one of us, we'll all be upset. If something like this is happening to my brother, of course I'll be upset,' he added.

A Bond Forged Over Decades

Miandad described thinking about Khan 'all the time,' saying he 'does not deserve' his current circumstances. 'I pray that what's going on with him gets resolved, because he does not deserve this. What's being done to him is not right. It's unnecessary. He has a family too,' Miandad said, visibly moved.

Both cricketers were central figures in Pakistan's golden era during the 1980s and 1990s, including their historic 1992 ODI World Cup triumph — the country's only such title. Miandad also pushed back against longstanding perceptions of a rivalry between them, noting they spent extended periods together playing county cricket in England. 'There was no rivalry between me and Imran. There was no fight between us... We had a great time together,' he said.

International Cricket Community Rallies Behind Khan

Miandad's remarks come amid growing international pressure for Khan's humane treatment. Australia legend Greg Chappell and current Australian Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins have also voiced support, with Chappell leading a formal petition addressed to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The petition, signed by 21 former international captains, includes names such as Sir Alastair Cook, Michael Atherton, Steve Waugh, Adam Gilchrist, and Nasser Hussain. Indian greats Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, and Dilip Vengsarkar have also signed. The letter expressed grave concern over Khan's health, particularly reports of significant vision loss in his right eye after more than three years in custody.

Cummins, posting on his X account, wrote: 'Adding my support here to GC and the other former international captains. I hope the court-ordered medical assessment be allowed to run its course and that family visits continue. I hope Imran Khan is treated with the dignity anyone deserves.'

Three Core Demands from Former Captains

The signatories outlined three specific demands: a comprehensive health evaluation by a Supreme Court-directed medical board that includes Khan's personal physicians; uninterrupted weekly family visitation rights; and the immediate implementation of any recommended medical treatment.

'Imran Khan is 73 years old and has now spent more than three years in custody. Whatever the legal and political arguments surrounding his case, the basic decency of ensuring a court-ordered medical process is actually completed is not, in our view, a controversial request,' the letter stated.

With Miandad's intervention adding a distinctly Pakistani voice to what has until now been largely an international chorus, pressure on Pakistani authorities over Khan's treatment appears to be intensifying.