ISLAMABAD – Danish Kaneria breaks silence over media reports ofdiscrimination against him being Pakistani Hindu.
Former legspinner Danish Kaneria on Saturday clarified that he was neverdiscriminated against on the basis of religion during his playing careerfor Pakistan, but did claim that he was treated differently by the PakistanCricket Board (PCB) after he was found guilty in a spot-fixing scandal.
Kaneria made headlines this week after former teammate Shoaib Akhtar saidthat the leggie was discriminated by some Muslim members of the Pakistanicricket team because of his Hindu faith.
The spinner had later backed Akhtar’s explosive claim, and thanked him for“telling the truth to the world”.
However, following public backlash, Kaneria has had a change of hearts, ashe detailed in a series of tweets earlier today that he has a bone to pickwith the authorities and not the public.
“The people of Pakistan never discriminated against me on the basis ofreligion,” he said.
Kaneria did say though that he did not get any support from the PCB or theGovernment of Pakistan after being banned — unlike “other players insimilar situation”.
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link_Danish Kaneria@DanishKaneria_link_ · 12h linklink
It is fact that I didn’t get any support from @pid_govlink or @TheRealPCBlink after the ban and my acceptance, where asother players in similar situation play for Pak with a support from PCB andhonoured. Any drawn conclusion on this matter would prove @shoaib100mphlink claim as right.
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Though he did not name names, Kaneria’s gripe stems from the PCB’s handlingof Mohammad Amir and Sharjeel Khan — both of whom were found guilty inseparate spot-fixing scandals. Amir admitted his guilt, served his time andhas since largely been forgiven and become a regular fixture of thenational team.
Sharjeel, too, has completed his rehab and been picked by the Karachi Kingsfor the Pakistan Super League 2020, after which a national recall couldalso be on the cards.
