New Delhi: Former Pakistan cricket captain Ramiz Raja has spoken about the condition of former Pakistan Prime Minister and 1992 World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan, saying he is “holding up” despite spending nearly three years in prison. Raja made the comments during a recent episode of the Stick to Cricket podcast, where he discussed Khan’s current situation with former England captain Alastair Cook and broadcaster David Lloyd.
Raja said Khan is currently in isolation and has spent a prolonged period behind bars. His comments come amid renewed concerns about the former Pakistan captain’s health and the conditions under which he is being held.
The discussion has drawn additional attention because 21 former international cricket captains from nine countries have recently written to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urging authorities to ensure proper medical care and humane treatment for Khan.
The former Pakistan prime minister has been in custody since 2023 in connection with multiple legal cases. He is now 73, and concerns about his health have intensified following reports of a problem affecting vision in his right eye.
Ramiz Raja says Imran Khan is in isolation
During the podcast discussion, broadcaster David Lloyd asked Raja about Khan’s present circumstances.
Raja said Khan was in isolation and acknowledged the difficulties he has faced during his prolonged imprisonment. He also said that although Khan has been behind bars for around three years, he continues to demonstrate the temperament for which he is known.
The former Pakistan captain also provided a brief update about Khan’s physical condition.
According to Raja, Khan had experienced an eye problem about a week earlier, but the issue appeared to have been resolved. Apart from that, Raja said, Khan was holding up.
The comments provide one of the latest public updates from a prominent former Pakistan cricketer who knows Khan personally and has previously spoken about his association with the former prime minister.
Health concerns have renewed calls for medical care
Raja’s comments come against the backdrop of growing concern over Khan’s health and access to medical treatment.
A group of 21 former international cricket captains has written to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif seeking proper medical care and better conditions for Khan.
The appeal follows concerns that a recent medical examination did not fully comply with directions issued by Pakistan’s Supreme Court.
The former captains have called for the court-directed medical board to complete an independent assessment of Khan’s health. They have specifically highlighted reports of vision loss affecting his right eye.
They have also asked that weekly family visits, which were reinstated by the court, continue without interruption and that any medical treatment recommended after the assessment be provided without delay.
21 former captains appeal to Shehbaz Sharif
The letter to Shehbaz Sharif has brought together former captains from several generations and cricketing nations.
Among the Indian signatories are cricket legends Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar. The group also includes prominent former captains such as Michael Atherton, Allan Border, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Alastair Cook, Adam Gilchrist, David Gower, Nasser Hussain, Clive Lloyd, Arjuna Ranatunga, Andrew Strauss, Steve Waugh and John Wright.
The appeal was initiated by former Australia captain Greg Chappell.
The signatories have stressed that their intervention is not intended to interfere with Pakistan’s domestic legal proceedings. Instead, they have framed their request around medical care and compliance with court directions.
Their appeal focuses on three principal demands: completion of the Supreme Court-directed medical assessment, uninterrupted weekly family visits and prompt treatment based on the findings of the medical assessment.
Concerns over reported vision loss
The condition of Khan’s right eye has become a particular concern.
The former captains have asked for a complete and independent medical assessment, including the involvement of Khan’s own doctors. Their request follows reports that he has suffered significant vision problems.
The medical assessment is expected to determine the nature and extent of the problem and whether further treatment is required.
Raja’s latest comments suggest that Khan recently experienced an eye-related problem that has apparently been addressed. However, the former cricketer did not provide detailed medical information about the condition or explain what treatment Khan received.
The absence of detailed medical information has contributed to continued calls for an independent assessment.
Imran Khan has been in custody since 2023
Khan, who led Pakistan to its first and only Cricket World Cup title in 1992, became prime minister in 2018 and remained in office until 2022.
He has been in prison since 2023 following a series of legal cases.
His imprisonment has remained a major political issue in Pakistan, with supporters of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party continuing to demand his release.
Khan’s legal circumstances are separate from the concerns raised by the former cricket captains about his health and treatment.
The former captains have specifically said that they do not seek to adjudicate Pakistan’s domestic legal proceedings. Their intervention is focused on ensuring that court-directed medical procedures and family access are carried out.
Raja and Khan share a long cricketing connection
Raja’s comments carry particular significance because of his long association with Khan.
During the podcast, Raja recalled that Khan had persuaded him to take over as chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board while Khan was serving as prime minister.
The relationship between the two former Pakistan cricketers dates back decades to their playing careers. Both were members of Pakistan’s international cricket generation that helped establish the country’s reputation as a major cricketing nation.
Khan was captain when Pakistan won the 1992 World Cup, while Raja was also an important member of the national team during that era.
Their association later continued outside cricket, with Raja eventually becoming chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Cricket community voices concern
The intervention by former international captains demonstrates the extent to which concern over Khan’s health has reached beyond Pakistan’s political environment.
The signatories represent several generations of international cricket and include former leaders from England, Australia, India, the West Indies, Sri Lanka and other cricketing nations.
Their appeal is framed around humanitarian and medical considerations rather than Khan’s political status.
The former captains have argued that ensuring medical care and compliance with court orders should not be viewed as interference in Pakistan’s political or legal affairs.
Their intervention has added another layer to the ongoing international discussion surrounding Khan’s imprisonment.
Focus remains on medical assessment
The former captains have particularly called for the medical board ordered by the Supreme Court to be allowed to complete its work.
Such an assessment could provide an independent picture of Khan’s health and determine whether his reported eye condition requires further treatment.
They have also asked that Khan’s own doctors be permitted to participate in the assessment.
For the former captains, the issue is not whether Khan should remain subject to Pakistan’s legal processes but whether his basic medical needs are being addressed while he remains in custody.
The distinction has been emphasised in their communication to the Pakistan government.
A former cricket icon under continued scrutiny
Khan remains one of Pakistan’s most recognisable sporting and political figures. His career has taken him from international cricket captain to prime minister and eventually to a prolonged period in prison.
His imprisonment has attracted considerable attention both inside and outside Pakistan, particularly whenever questions arise concerning his health or access to medical care.
Raja’s latest remarks provide a limited but notable update, with the former captain saying Khan is holding up despite his circumstances and mentioning that a recent eye problem appeared to have been resolved.
However, the appeal from 21 former captains indicates that questions about Khan’s medical care remain unresolved.
Calls for humane treatment continue
The latest developments place the focus on Khan’s health rather than the political arguments surrounding his imprisonment.
The former captains have asked Pakistan’s authorities to ensure that the medical board ordered by the Supreme Court can conduct a full assessment, that weekly family visits continue and that recommended treatment is provided promptly.
Raja, meanwhile, has described Khan as being in isolation but maintaining his resilience despite spending nearly three years behind bars.
The coming days could provide greater clarity on Khan’s health if the requested medical assessment is completed and its findings are made available.
For now, the concerns raised by former cricket leaders and Raja’s latest comments have once again brought attention to the condition of one of Pakistan’s most celebrated sporting figures.