SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2020 (PAGE 10) DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU IOA raises Rs 71 lakh as contribution in PM seeks support of India's sports heroes in Everyone is keen for IPL to go country's battle against COVID-19 pandemic ahead: Cummins on fate of IPL NEW DELHI, Apr 3: million people. SYDNEY, Apr 3: which bought him for a whop- In India, it has led to 56 COVID-19 battle; stars promise to do their bit ping Rs 15.5 crore last The Indian Olympic deaths as per official estimates NEW DELHI, Apr 3: onship bronze-medallist, who video call. have been attacked," said Asian The costliest foreign player December at the auction, as Association (IOA) has helped with over 2,000 people infected also attended the call. "Of these, 12 have been Games medallist Hima Das, in Indian Premier League, Pat everyone waits for the league's raise Rs 71 lakh through dona- by the deadly virus. Prime Minister Narendra All sporting activities are given three minutes each to who is employed with Assam Cummins says everyone, includ- fate. tions from its state affiliates Several sports personalities, Modi today turned to India's currently shut in the country and speak and present their view," a Police as a DSP. ing his team Kolkata Knight "It's a holding pattern ... The sporting heroes for support in it is still not clear when normal- ministry source told PTI without However, six-time world Riders, is still hopeful last I spoke to them, they the herculean battle to contain cy will resume. The much-antic- revealing the names of the cho- champion Mary Kom could not of the 13th edition of were still really confi- the COVID-19 pandemic and ipated Indian Premier League is sen athletes. connect to the call due to net- the T20 event to go dent and hopeful it'll be ahead sometime later. more than 40 accomplished among the big-ticket Indian It was later learnt that work issues. on at some stage," he champions such as Virat Kohli The Australian, said. and P V Sindhu responded by however, conceded Australia were forced vowing to raise awareness and that the priority now is to cancel their home lim- spirits amid a national lock- to minimise the risk of ited-overs series against down. spreading the coron- New Zealand after just The athletes, along with avirus. one match and their Test tour to Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju, The IPL was originally Bangladesh in June also looks participated in nearly an hour- scheduled to start on March 29 in uncertain at present. long video call which started at Mumbai but it was postponed to "This year's going to look 11am. The country is in a 21-day April 15 due to the worsening very different to what we've seen lockdown to contain the spread COVID-19 pandemic which has before ... There are so many sce- including Indian cricket team of the virus. Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his meeting with 40 top sportspersons from various killed more than 53,000 people and National Sports narios. Unless things improve, I skipper Virat Kohli, batting From Sachin Tendulkar sports categories via video conferencing on Friday. worldwide. Federations (NSF) as contribu- can't really see many tourna- stressing on the need to keep the "Everyone is still really keen tion towards the country's fight events suspended till April 15. Tendulkar, Ganguly, M C Mary Among those who managed ments going on anywhere in the vigil even after the lockdown for it (IPL) to go ahead, but the against the COVID-19 pan- When Ganguly was asked Kom and Kohli were among to, former world champion world for a little while." JKOA contributes ends on April 14, to sprinter priority is to minimise risk of it demic. about the development this those who were to speak during weightlifter Mirabai Chanu said The deadly coronavirus has Hima Das expressing sadness at spreading," Cummins was quot- "IOA is deeply grateful to Rs 1 lakh morning, he said, "Yes, I will be the interaction. the PM urged everyone to be infected over a million people the recent attacks on frontline ed as saying by the Australian its NSFs and state associations joining our Honourable PM via "I suggested that as much as united in the fight to combat the worldwide. Australia has report- Excelsior Sports Correspondent warriors such as health care Associated Press. and other federation and bodies video call." But he refused to go possible, I will use our way of pandemic. ed more than 5,000 cases includ- workers and police officers, to India is currently under a for extending their support and JAMMU, Mar 3: Jammu and into the details. greeting - saying 'Namaste' "The PM asked us to spread ing 26 deaths. others sharing their experience nation-wide lockdown until humble contributions towards Kashmir Olympic Association Cricketers formed a major instead of shaking hands, even awareness on social distancing European nations like Italy, of being in a lockdown, the April 14, which has cast serious the cause of our nation's fight (JKOA) an affiliate Unit of chunk of the participating list. after we overcome this pandem- and hygiene. He spoke about Spain, Germany and the United sportspersons had lots to offer doubts over the future of the against the COVID-19 pan- Indian Olympic Association Apart from Tendulkar, ic," Tendulkar said after the how we need Virat's (Kohli) Kingdom alongside the United during the interaction. All these cash-rich event's 13th edition. demic," the IOA said in a state- stood in solidarity with the Ganguly and Kohli, others in the interaction. fighting spirit to win this battle," States of America have become athletes have been generous The 26-year-old Australian the hotspots of the outbreak, ment issued by its Secretary entire country and contributed a call included top batsman Rohit "I told him that it is sad that added veteran table tennis play- donors to the funds being raised has been in constant contact with which started from the Chinese General Rajeev Mehta. sum of Rs 1, 00, 000 in this hour Sharma, former pacer Zaheer health care workers and police er Sharath Kamal. (PTI) to fight the crisis. the Kolkata Knight Riders team city of Wuhan.(PTI) "In these challenging times, of crisis towards the Prime Khan, Yuvraj Singh. The Prime Minister, on his the coming together of the Minister's Care Fund through The names of World Cup- part, sought their support to raise Punish those who attacked Olympic family to support the Indian Olympic Association for winning former captain India-returned SA players are COVID-19 awareness about the need for nation''s need once again rein- the noble cause. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and K L social distancing and personal forces our belief that we shall "On the directions of IOA, Rahul were in the list of partici- healthcare workers: Bhutia hygiene at a time when the total negative, no symptoms in those not tested always come out stronger to JKOA has contributed Rs 1 lakh pants but it is learnt that they NEW DELHI, Apr 3: injured on Wednesday when a number of COVID-19 positive JOHANNESBURG, Apr 3: as saying by 'ESPNCricinfo'. serve sports and make the to combat COVID-19," Said could not attend the call. five-member team of health offi- cases in India has crossed 2,000. Former India football cap- The first match in nation proud." Prof (Dr) Ashutosh Sharma, Olympic silver-medallist cials was pelted with stones by a All the South African play- "Your suggestions will be tain Bhaichung Bhutia on Friday Dharamsala on March 12 was The IOA will transfer the General Secretary JKOA. shuttler Sindhu, javelin thrower mob in Taatpatti Bakhal area, ers, who returned from their taken note of. We are fighting urged Prime Minister Narendra washed out while the second and donations to Prime Minister Neeraj Chopra, chess wizard Indore, prompting nationwide incomplete ODI tour of India, this pandemic like Team India. I Modi to punish the people who third games to be played in Cares Fund, the statement Viswanathan Anand, sprinter outrage. were found to be symptom-free mastero Sachin Tendulkar, am confident that India will be had attacked a team of health- Lucknow and Kolkata -- on added. Hima Das, boxing star Amit "I request @narendramodi to of coronavirus and those who shuttler PV Sindhu and athletes rejuvenated by the inspiration care workers in Indore and also March 15 and 18 respectively -- The coronavirus outbreak, Panghal, wrestler Vinesh take strict action against the underwent tests returned nega- Neeraj Chopra and Hima Das, provided by you," the Prime pointed out the lack of testing were called off indefinitely due which originated in the Chinese Phogat, and teenage shooting attackers who struck the doctors tive, according to the team's have also come forward to pro- Minister can be seen telling ath- kits in Sikkim to fight the to the COVID-19 pandemic. city of Wuhan, has claimed sensation Manu Bhaker were on the frontlines of the COVID- chief medical officer Dr Shuaib vide financial contributions to letes in a clip shared by shuttler COVID-19 pandemic. South Africa is in the midst over 53,000 lives worldwide among the other accomplished 19 in Indore," Bhutia wrote in a Manjra. fight against the disease. (PTI) B Sai Praneeth, a world champi- Two women doctors were of a 21-day nationwide lock- while infecting more than a athletes who took part in the letter in his twitter handle. The Proteas, who returned The police on Thursday arrested seven persons for the alleged attack and the district administration slapped the National Security Act (NSA) on four of them. Bhutia also said that the health care professionals should be provided with required gears and equipments as they are most vulnerable. "Healthcare workers are especially to be appreciated and looked after first, as they are most vulnerable to infection and becoming the carrier," said the decorated striker, who has from India on March 18, com- down, which prohibits leaving played 107 matches for India. pleted a 14-day period of self- home except to buy food or "They should be provided isolation on Thursday, but will medicine and does not allow for with proper PPE and N95 masks remain in lockdown for the next any outdoor exercise. all over India," added the veter- two weeks just like the rest of CSA's focus now is on main- an footballer, who had also part the country. taining the players' fitness and of the group of over 40 athletes, "All the players were symp- trainer Tumi Masekela has sent who on Friday participated in tom-free and those who opted to all the players their training pro- nearly an hour-long video call perform the tests returned nega- grammes.(PTI) with the Prime Minister.(PTI) tive results," Manjra was quoted