Legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev has lambasted Shoaib Akhtar’s proposal of an India-Pakistan ODI series to raise funds for the COVID-19 pandemic, saying “India doesn’t need the money” and it is not worth risking lives for a cricket match.
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Akhtar had suggested a closed-door series between the arch-rivals to jointly raise funds in the fight against Coronavirus, which has brought the world to a virtual standstill.
“He is entitled to his opinion but we don’t need to raise the money. We have enough. For us, what is important right now is that how our authorities work together to deal with this crisis. I am still seeing a lot of blame game on television from the politicians and that needs to stop,” Kapil told PTI.
“Anyway, the BCCI has donated a hefty amount (Rs 51 crore) for the cause and is in a position to donate much more if the need arises. It doesn’t need to raise funds.
“The situation is unlikely to get normal anytime soon and organising a cricket game means putting our cricketers at risk which we don’t need to,” he added.
Considering the gravity of the situation, the World Cup-winning captain also said people shouldn’t even think of cricket for the next 5-6 months.
“It is just not worth the risk. And how much money can you make from three games? In my view, you can’t even think of cricket for the next five to six months,” he said.
“Cricket will resume when things get normal. The game can’t be bigger than the country. The pressing issue is to look after the poor, the hospital workers, the police and all other people who are on the frontline of this war,” the 61-year-old further remarked.
On Thursday (April 9), US President Donald Trump thanked India Prime Minister Narendra Modi for helping his country with the supply of hydroxychloroquine – an anti-malarial drug being deemed as a potential cure for COVID-19 patients.
As an Indian, Kapil feels proud that his country is in a position to help other nations.
“Helping others is in our culture and I feel proud about that. We should not seek credit after helping others. We should strive to become a nation which gives more and more rather than taking from others,” he said.
In order to contain the spread of this deadly virus, Indian government had imposed a nationwide lockdown for three weeks on March 24.
Amid the lockdown, Kapil Dev is sitting at home and practising social distancing just like his compatriots.
Sharing his thoughts on the current situation, Dev said: “Nelson Mandela stayed in a tiny cell for 27 years. Compared to that, we are in a privileged position (that we just have to stay at home for sometime).”
“There is nothing bigger than life at the moment and that is what we need to save.”
(With PTI inputs)
