Danish Kaneria
Former Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria, who was presently serving a life ban after admitting to his involvement in the 2009 spot-fixing scandal, urged Pakistan Cricket Board to give him a second chance. Kaneria admitted that he won't be able to play for Pakistan but expressed his desire in imparting the art of leg-spin deliveries to the youth of Pakistan.
Kaneria, in an exclusive interview with India TV, also explained how he has been ignored by the board owing to his religion and put forth the double standards shown by the board in dealing with Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif who were accused in the 2010 Lord's scandal.
Kaneria said, "I have accepted my mistake. I am a human I made a mistake. I am proud to have played for Pakistan but I want a second chance from the board. I can no longer play on the cricket field but I definitely want to teach the skills of leg-spin to the youth of Pakistan."
He said, "I miss this game very much. As a Hindu cricketer in Pakistan, I have no support even from the board."
Talking about the difference in treatment of players banned in Lord's scandal to his spot-fixing scandal, Kaneria said, "If this is not bias, what is. On one hand you end the ban of players like Amir, Salman Butt and Asif. Even Amir is given a chance to return to international cricket but in my case the board does nothing. I also spoke to several top officials of the board but they all dismiss it as my personal matter. If not this bias, what else? Or you can say that I am a Hindu cricketer so that does not help me here."
Danish Kaneria made his international debut for Pakistan in the Faisalabad Test against England in 2000. Danish played a total of 61 Tests for his team in which he took 261 wickets at an economy rate of 3.07. In Test cricket, he has taken 15 five-wicket hauls and two ten-fers. He is, in fact, the country's fourth-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, after Danish Imran Khan (362), Wasim Akram (414) and Waqar Younis (373).
Apart from this, Danish has also played 18 ODIs for Pakistan picking a total of 15 wickets for Pakistan.
