Akhtar's Indo-Pak series proposal is comical: Former IPL chairman

Former Indian Premier League (IPL) Chairman Rajeev Shukla, while talking to ANI on Thursday, termed the proposal made by Pakistan’s legendary former pacer Shoaib Akhtar, to hold an Indo-Pak series to help generate money for the coronavirus (COVID-19) relief efforts, as ‘comical’.

The former IPL chairman called Akhtar a ‘jolly and moody’ man while claiming that the former speedster has a habit of coming up with such ideas time and again. 

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“Shoaib Akhtar is a jolly and moody man everyone knows it. Time by time he keeps giving such suggestions and ideas. At this stage, if he is talking about a cricket match between India and Pakistan to raise funds to help both the countries. So, I feel it is a matter of fun. We are not even able to organize IPL, who will come to watch that match who will allow players to come and play?” said Shukla.

Shukla claimed that India was in a precarious situation while Pakistan, on the other hand, is even worse.

“India and Pakistan don’t play in bilateral series, who will organize this match at this current situation of the country is not good and in his country situation us even worst so how can match happen so I feel this statement is comic,” he concluded.

Earlier, Pakistan’s legendary former pacer Shoaib Akhtar proposed a three-match Indo-Pak series to raise funds to help the governments of India and Pakistan fight COVID-19 that has brought the entire globe to a standstill.

The 44-year-old believed that the fixture would be successful in generating a significant amount of money, which would help both countries.

"In this time of crisis, I want to propose a three-match series in which for the first time, the people of neither country would be upset at the outcome of the games," Akhtar told Press Trust of India.  "If Virat (Kohli) scores a hundred, we will be happy, if Babar Azam scores a hundred, you will be happy. Both teams will be winners irrespective of whatever happens on the field.  You are bound to get massive viewership for the games. For the first time, both countries will play for each other. And whatever funds are generated through this can be donated equally to the government of India and Pakistan to fight this pandemic."