St John's [Antigua], September 5 (ANI): Former West Indies captain Brian Lara has extended his support to former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is under imprisonment, saying that the cricketing icon deserves 'proper, independent medical care' and 'basic humanity'. 

Imran's health has been a topic of massive scrutiny in Pakistan since a long while, with his sons demanding proper health care for the legendary cricketer and former PM. Recently, the country's Supreme Court ordered that he be shifted to Islamabad's Shifa Hospital. But he was taken to state-run PIMS and returned to prison just after his check-up. His sisters and sons have made serious allegations about the court order violation, demanding that Imran be allowed to see his personal doctor.

Posting on Instagram, Lara said that while he and Imran crossed paths on the field only a handful of times, the respect he has for him was 'instant and everlasting'. The West Indies legend added that he struggles to understand how the 1992 World Cup-winning skipper, once a 'beacon of hope, pride and inspiration for his country' is not being cared for well and is not given the dignity he deserves.

'Imran Khan and I only crossed paths on the field a handful of times, but the respect I have for him was instant and lasting. I am struggling to understand how someone who was once a beacon of hope, pride and inspiration for his country, at the height of his sporting career, could now find himself in a situation where he is not being cared for and treated with the compassion and dignity he deserves,' he said. 

'I stand with my fellow former captains in asking that he receive proper, independent medical care and the dignity every human being deserves.  This is not politics. It is basic humanity for a legend of our game,' he added. 

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Recently, twenty-two former international cricket captains wrote a letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, renewing their appeal for medical treatment of former ODI World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan. It was a follow-up to a previous letter 14 captains had written back in February, which received no reply from the Pakistan government.

Notably, the letter to Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, was signed by Michael Atherton, Alex Blackwell, Allan Border, Michael Brearley, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Alastair Cook, Michael Gatting, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Lee Germon, Adam Gilchrist, David Gower, Kim Hughes, Nasser Hussain, Clive Lloyd, Arjuna Ranatunga, Andrew Strauss, Dilip Vengsarkar, Steve Waugh and John Wright.

The current Australian captain Pat Cummins also voiced his support for Imran, reposting a video from The Grade Cricketer featuring former Australia captain Greg Chappell discussing Imran Khan's situation. Sharing the video, Cummins voiced his support for the appeal by former international captains, saying he hopes the court-ordered medical assessment proceeds, family visits continue, and that Khan is treated with dignity.

'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,' Cummins said. (ANI)