Kapil Dev says seeing Imran Khan in jail is painful, calls for proper treatment
• Kapil Dev reflects on his relationship with Imran Khan during a podcast with Vikrant Gupta.
• Former Indian captain says reports about Imran Khan’s treatment in jail leave him saddened.
• Recalls predicting Imran Khan would one day become Pakistan’s prime minister.
• Says former cricketers only appealed for proper treatment, not legal intervention.
In a recent podcast with sports journalist Vikrant Gupta, former Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev reflected on his long association with former Pakistan captain and prime minister Imran Khan, saying reports about his treatment in jail make him feel sad while stressing that every individual deserves proper treatment.
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Kapil Dev Emotional on Imran Khan, Concerned About His Treatment in Jail: 'Imran ko Dekh Dukh Hota Hai'
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.#kapildev #imrankhan #pakistan #india #indvspak #vikrantgupta #PrimeMinister #cricket @vikrantgupta73 @therealkapildev @ImranKhanPTI pic.twitter.com/gwowLSr0if
During the conversation, Kapil Dev said he would not describe himself as a close friend of Imran Khan, but the two would often sit together and talk whenever the opportunity arose. He noted that one reason communication between them was easy was because both understood Punjabi. At the same time, he said Imran’s lifestyle was quite different from his own, as the Pakistani cricket legend had spent much of his career playing county cricket in England.
Looking back, Kapil Dev said he had believed for many years that Imran Khan would eventually become Pakistan’s prime minister. He said history has shown that well-known public figures often move into politics, citing examples of actors becoming chief ministers in South India. According to Kapil Dev, Imran spent nearly 20 years working towards that goal because he wanted to contribute to his country.
The former Indian captain also recalled that Imran Khan had invited him to attend his swearing-in ceremony in August 2018, along with Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sunil Gavaskar.
Explaining why he did not attend, Kapil Dev said an invitation to a prime minister’s swearing-in ceremony is a great honour. However, he said India-Pakistan relations at the time were not favourable, and he did not want to go against the position of his own country. He added that while Sidhu, being a politician, made his own decision, he and Sunil Gavaskar felt it was better not to attend.
When asked about Imran Khan’s imprisonment, Kapil Dev said the reports he has seen make him feel very sad.
He said he does not know whether Imran Khan committed any wrongdoing and is not familiar with Pakistan’s legal system. However, he believes that someone who represented his country as one of its greatest cricketers and later served as prime minister should be treated with dignity. He added that while any individual can make mistakes, ethical standards should always be maintained.
Kapil Dev also referred to a letter signed earlier this year by several former international captains and cricketers regarding Imran Khan.
He said former Australian captain Greg Chappell had contacted him during that effort. According to Kapil Dev, the purpose of the appeal was not to comment on Pakistan’s legal process but to express the view that every human being deserves proper and humane treatment, regardless of the allegations or legal proceedings they may face.
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