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Shoaib Akhtar, former Pakistan fast bowler, believes that the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Pakistan Super League (PSL) should not be held in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. The IPL 2021 season began on April 9th, and there have already been 20 matches played in the tournament.

The 2021 PSL began in February, but it was forced to be postponed after representatives of the franchises tested positive for the dreadful COVID-19 virus after 14 matches. The tournament will resume on June 1 following the conclusion of the IPL in India on May 30.

“India is facing a devastating situation. They need to stop the IPL if it can’t continue without strict SOPs in place but otherwise, considering that India is burning, it needs to be postponed. I’m not saying this because PSL was postponed. I also think PSL shouldn’t take place in June,” Akhtar said.

“IPL is not important and the money spent on it can be better used to buy oxygen tanks. That can save people from dying. We don’t need cricket, heroes and entertainment at the moment. We want to save lives in India and Pakistan. I’m using these strong words because human lives are at stake,” he stated.

“Pakistan is right on the edge, there is only 10 per cent oxygen capacity left. People are not following SOPs. I request the government to enforce curfew for the last 10-15 days [of Ramadan]. There is no need to go out for Eid shopping. People need to very careful and take care of themselves,” Akhtar added.