Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has pledged to contribute to meet the requirement of oxygen supply to COVID-19 patients, amid the massive surge in infections across the country.

Dhawan has said he would donate Rs. 20 lakh and the amount he would receive for his individual performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) towards Mission Oxygen, IBNS said. 

"I will be making a donation of Rs. 20 lakhs, plus money from all post-match individual performance awards that I receive from the IPL 2021 towards Mission Oxygen to help fund the requirement of oxygen," the southpaw, who plays for Delhi Capitals in IPL, wrote in a statement shared on Twitter.

Earlier Australia cricketer Pat Cummins, who plays for Kolkata Knight Riders, had donated $50,000 to the PM Cares Fund which was created last year.

In a grim picture, India on Saturday reported over four lakh daily cases for the first time while registering over 3,500 deaths apparently due to the virus in the last 24 hours.

The IPL management has come under heavy criticism on social media for continuing with the cash-rich tournament at a time the country is devastated by the surge in Covid cases.

(SAM)