Javed Miandad broke down while pleading for Imran Khan’s release, defending his former captain as honest and urging authorities to resolve his imprisonment amid growing health concerns.
Key Points
- Javed Miandad made an emotional appeal for the release of former Pakistan captain Imran Khan, describing his longtime teammate as an honest man.
- Miandad rejected claims of a bitter rivalry with Imran, saying their differences never overshadowed their shared commitment to Pakistan cricket.
- Imran has remained in Adiala Jail since 2023 after corruption convictions, with his family and supporters raising concerns over his health and detention conditions.
- The controversy widened after Imran’s sons spoke to Michael Atherton about his alleged isolation, prompting a formal complaint from the Pakistan Cricket Board to Sky Sports.
- Several former international captains, including Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Greg Chappell and Pat Cummins, have called for Imran to receive proper medical care and dignified treatment.
Pakistan batting great Javed Miandad broke down while speaking about the imprisonment of his former teammate and 1992 World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan, making an emotional appeal for his release and insisting that the former prime minister was an honest man.
Miandad, who shared the dressing room with Imran for several years and was part of Pakistan's triumphant 1992 World Cup campaign, said he found it difficult to understand why his former captain continued to remain behind bars.
The 73-year-old Imran has been lodged at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi since 2023 after being convicted in corruption cases. His continued detention and reported health concerns have triggered criticism from his family and several former international cricketers.
Imran Khan's Honesty Defended
"He is an honest man. He is not someone who engages in corrupt practices, otherwise he would have done a lot of things," Miandad said in an interview with the Narrative YouTube channel.
"What will happen if you let him out? Will he eat or damage someone? He is also someone's son. I always think about what he must be doing," he added, visibly emotional while speaking about his former teammate.
Miandad said his assessment of Imran was based on the years they spent together playing for Pakistan and County cricket.
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Miandad Rejects Rivalry Narrative
The former batter also rejected the long-standing perception that he and Imran were bitter rivals, saying their occasional disagreements should not be confused with the common purpose they shared while representing Pakistan.
"We didn't have any rivalry," Miandad said, while acknowledging that the two had differences during and after their playing careers.
He said both had always put Pakistan first whenever they took the field and urged those involved in the current situation to sit together and find a solution.
"Whatever differences we had, we played for Pakistan and fought for Pakistan," Miandad said.
Imran's Health Concerns Intensify
Miandad's emotional plea comes amid renewed concerns over Imran's health and the conditions in which he is being held.
Imran recently underwent a medical examination in Islamabad before being taken back to Adiala Jail.
His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has questioned the manner in which the examination was conducted, particularly after the Supreme Court directed that he be taken to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad and allowed access to doctors, including his personal physician.
The issue gained wider attention earlier this week after Imran's sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, spoke to former England captain Michael Atherton during Sky Sports' coverage of the second Test between England and Pakistan at Lord's.
The brothers alleged that their father was being kept in severe isolation and expressed fears about his health and safety.
The interview prompted a reaction from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which lodged a formal complaint with Sky Sports.
The PCB had objected to the interview before it was broadcast and, according to reports, even considered keeping Pakistan's players off the field after the lunch break in protest.
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Former Cricket Greats Join Calls for Proper Treatment
The situation has also drawn comments from several prominent former international captains.
India's Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, along with Australia's Greg Chappell, have called for Imran to receive proper medical treatment, while Australia captain Pat Cummins has publicly urged that the former Pakistan captain be treated with dignity.
Miandad and Imran were the most important figures during Pakistan cricket's golden period in the 1980s and early 1990s, with the pair forming the backbone of the team.
