Soon after former Pakistan national cricket team captain Shahid Afridi announced Saturday via Twitter that he has tested positive for coronavirus, wishes of a speedy recovery started pouring on social media. Afridi's bête noire and former India opener Gautam Gambhir also wished the former Pakistan all-rounder a speedy recovery.
Gambhir, speaking at Salaam Cricket 2020, said he might have his political differences with Afridi but he doesn't want anyone in the world to be affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Nobody should be infected with this virus. I have political differences with Shahid Afridi but I want him to recover as soon as possible. But more than Afridi I want every person infected in my country to get well as soon as possible," Gambhir said.
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Afridi's tweet also drew quick response from cricket fans and his Pakistan teammates including Muhammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
"Get well soon. Praying for your swift recovery!" wrote PCB on Twitter.
Hafeez said that Afridi was a "fighter by nature" and was sure that he will "fight the virus and will defeat it soon".
Akmal also joined in praying for Afridi. "Prayers are for your long, healthy life. Get well soon," he tweeted.
Afridi is actively involved in his charity work as the head of a foundation named after him. Following the coronavirus outbreak, he was seen outdoors on many occasions, mainly for his charity work.
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He was seen attending gatherings in Muzaffarabad last month and berating Indian PM
Narendra Modi, without wearing a mask and not maintaining social distancing.
It appears, as claimed by ANI, that he contracted the virus during his recent visit to Muzaffarabad city of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK), where Pakistan has been reportedly sending its COVID-19 patients.
Afridi, 40, thus became the first high-profile cricketer to be infected with the deadly virus. In April, Former Pakistan first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfraz had died of COVID-19.
Then, in May, another former Pakistan player, Taufeeq Umar became the fourth cricketer to be infected with the coronavirus after Majid Haq (Scotland), Sarfraz (Pakistan) and Solo Nqweni (South Africa).
Earlier, reports emerged that Pakistan has been using the PoK as a "dumping ground" for COVID-19. NDTV reported, quoting Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Dilbag Singh, reported in April Pakistan is trying to push people infected with coronavirus into India.
"Certain things have come to the fore. So far, Pakistan has been sending terrorists to Kashmir, but it is now exporting coronavirus patients to spread the virus among people of Kashmir. It's an issue we have to be cautious about and it's very disturbing," Singh said.
Prior to Singh's claims, a top Army commander had said that they have received intelligence inputs that Pakistan was sending COVID-19 patients into PoK to prep them for infiltration to India.
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Pakistan has so far reported over 1,25,000 coronavirus cases and 2,463 casualties. In the POK, the COVID-19 cases have increased to 534, whereas 1,030 have been reported in Gilgit-Baltistan.
