Pat Cummins donates $50,000 'to purchase oxygen supplies for India's hospitals'

The Kolkata Knight Riders' Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins has donated US$ 50,000 "specifically to purchase oxygen supplies for India's hospitals" to PM Cares, a fund-raising scheme set up by the prime minister of India in March last year when the Covid-19 pandemic first broke out. Cummins - the first cricketer playing in this year's IPL to publicly announce such a contribution - put out a note on Twitter, also calling on his fellow IPL players to contribute.

"There has 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," Cummins wrote. "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.