COVID-19: Akram, Gough join charity fundraising efforts

Former international cricketers Wasim Akram of Pakistan and Englands Darren Gough have decided to put their memorabilia from cricketing days on auction in order to raise funds to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, Akram and Gough have promised items of memorabilia to be auctioned on behalf of the Centre for Disaster Philanthropy who have set up a response fund for COVID-19 patients.

Akram, who is Pakistan's highest wicket-taker in both Test and ODI cricket, has pledged to auction his signed bat and ball while Gough, who is England's second-highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket, has pledged to auction a signed ball.

Earlier, Jos Buttler had put the shirt -- which he wore in the 2019 World Cup final -- on auction in order to raise funds for two London-based hospitals amid the coronavirus outbreak.

In Australia, Shane Warne's gin distillery, SevenZeroEight, is producing hand sanitisers for hospitals.

In Pakistan, umpire Aleem Dar is providing free food at his restaurant in Lahore for the unemployed people who have the worst hit due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In India, several cricketers have made contributions towards the relief funds set to combat COVID-19, which has so far claimed more than 58,000 lives across the world.