New Delhi, Apr 6 (IANS): Ace cueist Pankaj Advani has jumped in to help those in need in these troubled times by donating Rs 5 lakh to the PM-CARES Fund as the country fights the coronavirus pandemic. Sporting events across the globe have come to a standstill with some being cancelled while others have been postponed.

Taking to Twitter, Advani wrote: "A small gesture for a mammoth cause. Contributed Rs 5 Lakhs to the PM CARES Fund. Let's spread awareness, love, compassion and the spirit of unity for the greater good of humanity. Jai Hind! #PMCARESFund #COVID19 @narendramodi @PMOIndia @KirenRijiju."

Sportspersons from across all fields have tried their best to help the government fight the outbreak. Most have gone ahead and not only made donations, but also used their social media platforms to spread awareness about the directives issued by the health department in this battle against coronavirus.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spoke to 49 sports personalities that included the likes of BCCI President Sourav Ganguly, Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli, cricket great Sachin Tendulkar, badminton world champion P.V. Sindhu and chess legend Viswanathan Anand as the country fights the coronavirus pandemic.

Sportspersons have even agreed to take pay cuts as federations have been put in a spot with sporting activities getting cancelled. In fact, even the fate of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League hangs in balance and franchise owners have decided to hold a meeting once the government comes up with a fresh advisory on April 14.

Sportspersons have even taken to social media to interact with their fans as they stay indoors and have time and again asked the followers to keep in mind the guidelines given by the health ministry to fight the war against coronavirus.