COVID-19: Tamim Iqbal aids 91 athletes

Bangladesh ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal has come forward to help 91 sportspersons who were financially hit due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Bangladesh ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal has come forward to help 91 sportspersons who were financially hit due to the coronavirus outbreak. The left-handed batsman through his charity has reached out to support footballers, cricketers, kabaddi, wushu, hockey players, cyclists, swimmers and gymnasts as well as coaches.

Earlier this month, the newly appointed ODI skipper coordinated the donations from Bangladesh's cricketers, who gave away half of their monthly salaries to the Prime Minister's fund. "I have been in sports for a long time but I have never seen a fellow sportsman help out athletes from so many disciplines at once," ESPNcricinfo quoted Bangladeshi swimmer Mahfuza Khatun Shila as saying.

"It wasn't that he was trying to help well-known cases, but he tried to help anyone who has fallen on hard times due to this current situation. Tamim bhai came to the rescue of many families," she added. Earlier, Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib-Al-Hasan had said that he would be auctioning his 2019 World Cup to raise funds.

All sporting action in the country has been postponed for an indefinite time since mid-March. (ANI)