Shoaib Akhtar backs Yuvraj & Harbhajan Singh for pledging support to Afridi's foundation

Former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar backed Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh for pledging their support to former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi's foundation amid the Coronavirus pandemic. The Indian cricketers were severely criticised by fans for pledging their support to Pakistan's foundation. Akhtar stated that it was inhumane to criticise them. 

Speaking to leading news daily, he stated that Yuvraj and Harbhajan should not be criticised as it is not about countries or religion at the moment, but about humanity. The Pakistani speedster also revealed that whatever he earned from India, he distributed 30% of it to low-income staff who used to work with him, adding that he has got lots of love from India. 

READ | Shahid Afridi Thanks Yuvraj Singh & Harbhajan Singh, Calls Them 'huge Pillars Of Support'

Yuvraj, Harbhajan face backlash

Earlier, Yuvraj Singh on March 31 had pledged his support to the Shahid Afridi Foundation amid the COVID-19 crisis. Yuvraj Singh had tweeted that amid such testing times, people should be looking out for each other. Soon after his tweet, the all-rounder and Harbhajan Singh severely criticised by fans in India as they questioned him for supporting a foundation in Pakistan while turning a blind eye to his own country until then. This comes after several athletes and cricketers stepped up to donate to the PM CARES Fund to fight the Coronavirus crisis. 

READ | Shoaib Akhtar Reckons There Should Be An Indo-Pak Series To Raise Funds For COVID-19

Yuvraj Singh breaks silence

Soon after facing backlash, Former cricketer Yuvraj Singh broke his silence after netizens panned him for urging their fans and followers to contribute to their former on-field opponent Shahid Afridi’s charity to battle the COVID-19 situation in his country. 
Yuvraj stated that his intention was to help people in our respective countries by providing healthcare, adding that he did not mean to hurt anyone feeling. 

READ | CAC Member Madan Lal Rejects Shoaib Akhtar's Proposed Bilateral Series To Raise COVID Fund

"I really don't understand how a message to help the most vulnerable gets blown out of proportion. All I tried to achieve via that message was to help people in our respective countries by providing healthcare, my intention was not to hurt anyone's feelings. I am an Indian and I will always bleed blue and will always stand for humanity," wrote Yuvraj.

READ | Shoaib Akhtar's Indo-Pak Charity Match Idea Pointless As India Has Enough Money: Kapil Dev