Lahore, June 6 (IANS): Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Executive Wasim Khan on Saturday announced that over the next three months he will personally donate a total of 1.5million Pakistani rupees to support former players, match officials, scorers and ground staff who are struggling through financial hardships amid the COVID-19 crisis.

"I have decided to personally make this donation to help those players, match officials, scorers and ground staff who are in dire need of financial assistance," said Wasim as per a PCB media release.

"This small contribution is to support the Chairman's Welfare Fund that is already in place and to show solidarity with him as we look to provide as much support to the players, match officials, scorers and ground staff facing hardships in these tough economic times.

"As head of the executive team, I also think it is appropriate that I take a personal lead with this and it's a decision that feels absolutely right to me.

"After past culture of all PCB staff receiving substantial annual incremental increases, we have made a decision to tighten our expenditure over the next 12 months and only award increases to staffers who earn PKR100,000 a month or less. This will commence from the new fiscal year, which starts on July 1."

PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani said: "I appreciate Wasim Khan's gesture and commend him for leading by example. Wasim's actions show that he is not only a good leader, but one who thinks and cares about the wellbeing of past and present players and other stakeholders.

"I am sure that Wasim's generosity will help cricketers in need in these difficult times."

Over 95,000 confirmed coronavirus cases have been reported so far in Pakistan while close to 2,000 people have lost their lives.