Indian cricketer fined for violating Coronavirus lockdown

Indian cricketer Rishi Dhawan was fined for violating lockdown rules ordered by the Centre as part of its fight against the spread of COVID-19.

The right-arm medium-fast bowler, as per a report in Outlook India, was driving his private car in his hometown, Mandi when he was stopped by the police. He was, thereafter, fined on the spot for travelling without permission. Dhawan paid a fine of Rs. 500, the Superintendent of Police Gurdev Chand Sharma told the media.

The all-rounder has played three ODIs and one T20I in 2016. A veteran domestic cricketer, Dhawan has a total of 3702 runs and 308 wickets to his name in about 79 first-class matches. He made his ODI and T20I debut for India against Australia and Zimbabwe respectively in 2016.

He was the leading run-scorer for his state in the 2018-19 season of Ranji Trophy with a total of 519 runs from eight matches. Dhawan has represented Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Meanwhile, the country registered 6,412 positive cases and 199 deaths from the dreaded outbreak till Friday, India’s health ministry said.

With millions eager to know if a three-week lockdown of the country will end on April 14, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is yet to make a final decision on the lockdown.

The global pandemic has since led to confusion and forced the economy nearly ground to a halt across the world, prompting the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to say the world must brace for ‘the worst economic fallout since the Great Depression’.