Holding expressed deep sadness over the current situation of his former cricket colleague.
West Indies pace legend Michael Holding has joined the international cricket community in seeking proper medical treatment for jailed former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Imran, Pakistan's World Cup-winning skipper, has been lodged at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi since 2023 over corruption charges. The 73-year-old has faced several health issues in recent times, triggering criticism from his family and several international cricket stars.
In an interaction with Sports Now, Holding expressed deep sadness over the current situation of his former cricket colleague.
Reflecting on their past, Holding recalled his personal experiences playing alongside and against Khan in county and one-day cricket. Crucially, Holding highlighted Khan's philanthropic efforts, specifically remembering how he joined the Pakistan icon in London to help raise funds for the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital.
"I'll mention one name, Imran Khan, but you probably don't want to go down the political route, and I don't want to either, but that's a sad story. It has become one of the former Pakistan captain's defining legacies. I played with Imran, I wouldn't say I played a lot. I played some one-day games with him. I played county cricket, a few games against Imran, but apart from playing with Imran, I have spent time with Imran," Holding said.
"When Imran was going around London looking to garner funds for that cancer hospital, I went around with him, I tried to support him as best as I possibly could, where that was concerned. So I know the man, and I know exactly what type of person that he is. And it's extremely sad to see the situation now and what is going on with Imran Khan," he recalled.
During the coverage of the Lord’s Test between England and Pakistan last month, Imran Khan’s sons -- Kasim and Sulaiman -- interacted with Michael Atherton for Sky Sports, where they alleged a "blatant" attempt to kill their father in prison, claiming his conditions have severely deteriorated under solitary confinement and that he is being denied critical medical care.
Earlier, 21 former international cricket captains—including Indian greats Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar—signed a joint letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif demanding immediate, adequate medical care and humane treatment for Imran in jail.
Holding strongly condemned the Pakistan government's treatment of Imran, extending total support for a humanitarian appeal initiated by international cricket captains.
"I am in total support of the captains who wrote that letter. I don't know what effect it will have, but I am in total support of trying to get the man to be treated just like another human being. You don't treat human beings that way. People who have committed murder aren't treated that way. So I don't see the reason why this man should be treated that way," Holding remarked.
"I don't know if there's jealousy involved in this, because Imran Khan. I don't think there's a Pakistani who is more well-known around the world than Imran Khan. That is ridiculous, the way the man is being treated," he concluded.