Harbhajan Singh rejects Shoaib Akhtar's India-Pak series proposal, calls it 'unnecessary'

Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh snubbed former Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar's proposal of an India-Pakistan bilateral series to raise funds for COVID-19 relief. Singh who shares a good rapport with the Pakistan speedster said that cricket is the 'last thing' on his mind right now. He added that it is not necessary to hold a cricket match right now and no one should think about sports or cricket at this hour. 

Speaking to a leading news daily, Harbhajan Singh said that there are other ways to raise funds and it is not necessary to play cricket for that. He further added that these are small things and one should understand that lives are at stake at the moment.

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Earlier, Shoaib Akhtar had proposed a three-match bilateral series between the arch-rivals at a neutral venue like Dubai to raise relief funds to fight the pandemic. The proposal was strongly rejected by Akhtar's counterparts. While World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev opposed the proposal straightaway by stating that India has enough resources.

CAC member Madan Lal stated that India cannot play Pakistan without the government's green signal. Former IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla also rejected the proposal and termed it a 'comical' one. 

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Shoaib Akhtar requests India for ventilators

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.

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READ | Shoaib Akhtar Requests India To Provide 10,000 Ventilators For Struggling Pakistan