Kapil Dev Rejects Shoaib Akhtar’s Idea Of Pak-India Series To Raise Funds For COVID 19

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Kapil Dev rejects Shoaib Akhtar’s idea of Pak-India series to raise funds for COVID 19

The Indian cricketer asks Shoaib that how much money could be made through made-for TV three-one series to fight against Coronavirus, saying that it could put their players at risk.

NEW DEHLI: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-April 9th, 2020) Former Indian captain Kapil Dev rejected Shoaib Akhtar’s idea of a made-for-television three-match ODI series between India and Pakistan to raise funds for the COVID-19 pandemic, Indian media reported here on Thursday.

He also snubbed Shoaib Akhtar for his idea, saying that the situation was unlikely to get normal anytime soon and organizing a cricket game means putting their cricketers at risk which they did not need to do that.

Dev said that it was just not worth the risk, questioning that how much money could be made through this. “In my view, you can’t even think of cricket for the next five to six months,” said Dev.

Earlier, Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar said that Pakistan and India should play cricket matches at any neutral place to collect funds in fight against Coronavirus here on Thursday.

Shoaib Akhtar said that these matches could generate huge funds for the patients of Coronavirus and their treatment.

“Both Pakistan and India could not play any full series since 2007,” said Shoaib Akhar who was speaking to an India tv in New Dehli.

He gave suggestion of a made-for TV three one-day matches between Pakistan and India amid fears of Coronavirus, saying that these matches should not upset the fans of cricket in both sides.

“It should be a close door affair,” he said.

He said Pakistani should be happy over the century of Veerat Kohli and Indians should cheer up the century of Babar Azam and both teams should be declared victorious regardless of what happened in the grounds while the funds collected through these matches should equally be distributed between both Pakistan and India for fight against Coronavirus.

Shoaib Akhtar argued that the matches between Pakistan and India would attract huge fan and spectators like in the past and would equally be distributed between them. However, he said that the matches between both sides were not possible at this crucial time of lockdowns but a neutral place like the grounds of UAE could be selected for such events as the situation of Coronavirus got some normal.

In his view, these matches would be helpful in restoration of matches between Pakistan and India and would bring both nations closer to each other.

“The role of the nations must be visible in difficult times but implementation of his suggestion for the matches rests with the authorities concerned on both sides,” he added.

Fida Hussnain

Fida Hussnain is a lahore based journalist. He writes on politics, religion, social issues and climate change. He is also a research fellow at University of Gujrat.