New Delhi, June 2: Moved by the plight of migrant workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic, India pacer Mohammed Shami has started distributing food packets and masks to refugees travelling back to their homes.
The 29-year-old has also set up food distribution centres for the poor migrants near his house in Sahaspur, Uttar Pradesh.
The BCCI posted a video of Shami, who is seen wearing a mask and gloves, handing out food packets and masks to people travelling in buses and those at the food distribution centres.
As #IndiaFightsCorona, @MdShami11 comes forward to help people trying to reach home by distributing food packets & masks on National Highway No. 24 in Uttar Pradesh. He has also set up food distribution centres near his house in Sahaspur.
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 2, 2020
We are in this together🙌🏾 pic.twitter.com/gpti1pqtHH
"As #IndiaFightsCorona, @MdShami11 comes forward to help people trying to reach home by distributing food packets & masks on National Highway No. 24 in Uttar Pradesh. He has also set up food distribution centres near his house in Sahaspur," the BCCI wrote.
The coronavirus enforced lockdown has triggered a migrant movement crisis in the country with lakhs of people trying to get back home battling extreme heat and hunger. The virus outbreak has so far claimed over 5000 lives and infected close to 2 lakh people in the country.
The Indian cricketers are currently away from the field waiting for cricket to resume post the Covid 19 pandemic. India fielding R Sridhar said a training schedule for them is getting put in place.
"I think if you have a camp for 4-6 weeks, we can bring them to peak match readiness...fast bowler needs around 6 weeks, batsmen might take a bit less time," Sridhar told PTI.
"Once we get a date (on start of national camp) from the BCCI and approved by the government of India, we can start working backwards (starting from scratch). The challenge is to proceed in right phases as players can get excited when they play after 14 or 15 weeks.
"It's pertinent that we move in right manner forward. Don't want to look too much ahead," he explained.