State tried to airbrush Imran out of existence, says Atherton on joining captains' letter

Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain were among 21 former international captains who signed a second humanitarian letter on August 23, 2026, seeking proper medical treatment for Imran Khan. The appeal came as the former Pakistan prime minister and 1992 World Cup-winning skipper remained in custody following his 2023 conviction in a corruption case. The letter represented a coordinated effort by cricket's senior figures to address concerns about Khan's welfare and access to healthcare.

The signatories included Allan Border, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Alastair Cook, Sunil Gavaskar, Adam Gilchrist, David Gower, Kim Hughes, Clive Lloyd, Kapil Dev, Arjuna Ranatunga, Andrew Strauss, Dilip Vengsarkar, Steve Waugh, Michael Brearley, Belinda Clark, Lee Germon, Alex Blackwell and John Wright. Atherton discussed the appeal on Sky Sports, explaining the core message behind the signatories' action.

"Nass [Nasser Hussain] and I were among 21 former captains who sent a second letter yesterday, a humanitarian appeal for Imran Khan to get the requisite level of treatment. But I suppose the basic theme was the way the state has tried to airbrush Imran almost out of existence, which is increasingly difficult to do in a social media age," Atherton said in a podcast with Sky Sports Cricket.

This was the second collective appeal by former captains on Imran Khan's behalf. An earlier letter signed by 14 former international captains had been sent six months earlier on February 17, 2026. That initial appeal urged a court-directed medical board, which would include Khan's personal doctors, to conduct a full and independent assessment of his health, particularly regarding reported loss of vision in his right eye.

Reports indicated that Khan had lost approximately 85 per cent of vision in his right eye due to medical neglect while in custody at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail. The Supreme Court of Pakistan directed the government on August 18 to move Khan to Islamabad's Shifa International Hospital within two days for examination and treatment by a multidisciplinary medical board. However, Khan was instead taken to the government-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences.

Kapil Dev, the former India captain who signed the letter, explained his reasoning for joining the appeal despite the sensitivities involved. He acknowledged that Pakistani cricketers faced constraints in speaking publicly about the matter due to their residence in the country.

"I don’t blame Pakistani cricketers for not speaking up. They have to live there. But I would like to support my friend, whom we admired and played with," Dev was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

"We don't know the law of the country, that's fine. But humility and simple facilities should be given to a prisoner, whoever he may be. And he was a former prime minister of the country and a top cricketer. We want him to get the best treatment, [that's] what we are asking for. We are not asking for anything else, we are not asking for any replies, we are requesting," Dev added.