Kolkata Knight Riders’ Pat Cummins has donated $50,000 to PM Cares Fund to purchase oxygen supplies for hospitals in India.
The Aussie pacer made the announcement in a tweet on Monday.
‘As players we are privileged to have a platform that allows us to reach millions of people that we cn use for good. With that in mind, I have made a contribution to the ‘PM Cares Fund’ specifically to purchase oxygen supplies for India’s hospitals,’ he tweeted.
'There had been quite a bit of discussion over here as to whether it is appropriate for the IPL to continue while COVID-19 infection rates remain high. I’m advised that the Indian Government is of the view that playing the IPL while the population is in lockdown provides a few hours of joy and respite each day at an otherwise difficult time for the country,’ he Tweet read.
Cummins made his Indian Premier League debut in 2014 with KKR. He later joined the Delhi Capitals before being brought back into KKR as the second most expensive buy in the history of IPL (RS 15.5 crores).
Many Australian cricketers are looking to leave the IPL early amid fears they will be locked out of the country because of India's escalating COVID-19 crisis.
One of them, Rajasthan Royals' Andrew Tye, has already left for home, citing personal reasons. Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson has decided to follow suit.
Meanwhile, Billy Stanlake refused a contract with Chennai Super Kings as Josh Hazlewood's last-minute replacement, reportedly due to the COVID-19 surge in India.
On Sunday, Delhi Capitals off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took a break from IPL 2021, saying that his family is currently 'putting up a fight against COVID-19' and he wants to support them.
