Published 10:43 IST, April 9th 2020
Shoaib Akhtar requests India to provide 10,000 ventilators for struggling Pakistan
Shoaib Akhtar does not want borders and differences to matter in the fight against COVID-19. Here is what the 'Rawalpindi Express' urged both countries to do.
- SportFit
- 3 min read
Former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar recently opined that India and Pakistan must help each other during these tough times that the world is suffering from. Akhtar emphasised on how the coronavirus pandemic can only be beaten if both countries join hands. The ex-fast bowler also had a special request for India.
Shoaib Akhtar requests India for ventilators
Talking to PTI on Wednesday, Shoaib Akhtar, well-known as the 'Rawalpindi Express' appealed for India's help, seeking the supply of 10,000 ventilators to aid Pakistan's crippled medical infrastructure. He added that "Pakistan will remember this gesture forever." One of the most significant aspects of the global battle against coronavirus has been ensuring the supply of essential medical materials, ranging from face-masks, to key drugs, to ventilators - with just about every nation, from developed to developing - struggling to make do.
According to the Johns Hopkins University, Pakistan currently has 4,263 cases. On the other hand, India has 5,734 cases as per the most recent bulletin by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. In times like these, Shoaib Akhtar urged both countries to come together despite ideological and religious differences.
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Shoaib Akhtar also proposed a three-match ODI series between India and Pakistan to raise funds for coronavirus relief in both countries. The 'Rawalpindi Express' added that the matches could be held at a neutral venue like Dubai and players can be flown out of the city in chartered planes.
Although Akhtar had a strong rivalry on the field with many Indian players during his player, he did not appreciate the criticism thrown at India's 2011 World Cup-winning cricketers Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh off late. Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh stepped up to contribute to Shoaib Akhtar's former teammate Shahid Afridi's foundation in Pakistan to battle coronavirus in the country. Much like the duo, Akhtar claims that people deriding them are 'inhumane' as humanity is the need of the hour.
Lastly, the pacer also thanked India and its people, recalling his experiences in the country while working as a TV pundit and seeing the difficulties many people face up close.
Updated 19:30 IST, April 10th 2020