Top players from Bangladesh have decided to donate 50 per cent of their monthly salaries to a fund for assistance and relief, amid the Covid-19 outbreak in the country.

Tamim Iqbal, their captain, said on Facebook that in all, the contributions, from 17 centrally contracted players and 10 others who were part of the recent series against Zimbabwe, would aggregate over 25 lakh BDT [£25,000 approx].

Former captain Mashrafe Mortaza also recorded a video, sharing basic tips on how to combat the threat of the virus, while Shakib Al Hasan, currently suspended from international cricket, also did his bit on social media.

Three cases of coronavirus were confirmed yesterday in Bangladesh. https://t.co/jh8MYlKmxK

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) March 9, 2020

On Monday, Bangladesh was forced into a 10-day lockdown to combat the spread of Covid-19. Being one of the most densely populated countries in the world, the threat runs deeper in Bangladesh. They have so far recorded four deaths and over 40 cases.

As is the case elsewhere, cricket has come to a complete stop in the country, with the Bangladesh Cricket Board halting the Dhaka Premier League, a domestic List A competition. Their international commitments were put on hold after the T20I series against Zimbabwe.

Their upcoming series against Ireland, originally scheduled to be held in May, has been cancelled for now.