'Mask pehn lain, social distancing rakh lain', appeals Shoaib Akhtar amid rising coronavirus cases

Fast-bowler turned analyst Shoaib Akhtar on Wednesday made an urgent appeal to people to wear masks and follow social distancing protocols to save their lives against the coronavirus.

"Mask pehn lain, social distancing rakh lain. Bacha lain zindagi apnay buzurgo ki aur baro ki aur apni bhi [wear masks, follow social distancing, save lives of your elders and yourself]," said Akhtar in Urdu. 

The former fast bowler made a "simple" request in an Instagram post with a picture of his playing days. 

Shoaib Akhtar wants curfew in Pakistan, asks India to cancel IPL

Last month, Akhtar appealed to the cricket boards of Pakistan and India to not hold the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Pakistan Super League (PSL) due to the worsening coronavirus situation in the region.

"BCCI & PCB should both rethink if this is a good time to continue the IPL or restart the PSL. Things are tough," tweeted Shoaib along with a snippet of his YouTube vlog.

In the vlog, Akhtar stated that if the IPL can be stopped or postponed then it must be done so or should only go ahead if SOPs can be implemented strictly.

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“India is burning IPL must stop,” said the former Pakistani pacer. He explained that he was not saying this because the PSL was stopped.

“I also want PSL to not happen this year in June. If pandemic is spreading then PSL should not happen in June,” suggested Akhtar.

He added that the IPL was not important and the money being used on it should be given to people so oxygen tanks can be brought and people can be saved from dying.

“We do not want cricket, we do not want heroes, we do not want entertainment at this time. We right now want people to be saved in India and Pakistan,” appealed the former fast bowler who had played for the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders.

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Akhtar said that he was using “strong words” as it was a matter of life and death.

Shoaib Akhtar wants curfew in Pakistan

He added that the IPL was not important and the money being used on it should be given to people so oxygen tanks can be brought and people can be saved from dying.

“We do not want cricket, we do not want heroes, we do not want entertainment at this time. We right now want people to be saved in India and Pakistan,” appealed the former fast bowler who had played for the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders.

Akhtar said that he was using “strong words” as it was a matter of life and death.

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“I strongly appeal to the government to impose a curfew and not a lockdown as we do not follow SOPs. I want the army to come and make people follow the SOP’s strictly,” said the Pakistani pacer.

He also suggested that the programme that he is part of on national television, PTV, should also be cancelled and be done from home.