Sarfaraz Khan has decided that he can put the money usually spent on Eid celebrations to better use as India continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Currently stuck in his hometown Azamgarh due to the national lockdown, the Mumbai batsman has witnessed the hardships of the migrant workers in Uttar Pradesh first hand.

In order to bring ease to those afflicted, Sarfaraz Khan has decided to help them with food and other basic amenities.

“We will not celebrate Eid this time,” Sarfaraz Khan told the Times of India. “The money we would have spent to buy new clothes and accessories on Eid will now be spent on those needing help.”

An Eagle Thane Strikers in the second season of the T20 Mumbai league, Sarfaraz Khan urged others to come forward and help as well.

“They are hungry and thirsty, and have been travelling for so many days,” he observed. “We also stay hungry during Ramadan, so we have an idea about the value of food and water.

“We’ve decided not to celebrate Eid this time,” he reasoned. “We will help out these migrant people instead.”

He has been joined by his father Naushad Khan, younger brother Mushir and local boys from the village in the efforts.

“When we used to go to the market, we used to see scores of people travelling on the roads,” he later told the Press Trust of India. “And hence we decide to help them. It was my father’s idea to help the migrant workers.”

Remember Sarfaraz Khan from @RCBTweets? pic.twitter.com/rByI2mlNLq

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The Khan family has been looking after travellers arriving in auto-rickshaws and trucks on the Gorakhpur road and have distributed around 1,000 food packets so far.

Each packet comprises an apple, banana, cake, biscuits and a water bottle.

Earlier, Sarfaraz Khan's Mumbai teammate Yashasvi Jaiswal and his coach Jwala Singh came forward to help the groundsmen of the city’s maidans.

Sarfaraz Khan played a leading role for the Mumbai cricket team in their Ranji Trophy season. He emerged as the leading run-getter for his side, and fifth overall in the season in just six matches, amassing 928 runs in 6 matches at a herculean average of 154.66.

He was due to play in the Indian Premier League next with the Kings XI Punjab team.