Former Pakistani spinner Danish Kaneria has reportedly slammed the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for banning him for life in 2012 after he allegedly introducing then Essex teammate Mervyn Westfield to illegal bookmakers.
Although Kaneria was never charged, but his role in suggesting and organising the spot-fixing plan, as well as his influence over Westfield-acknowledged during the latter’s trial- resulted in the spinner receiving a lifetime ban from the sport by the ECB.
According to the BBC, Kaneria said that he does not believe he has done anything wrong to deserve a punishment from the ECB and will not show any remorse as he has not pressurised Westfield or done anything to bring the game into disrepute.
Kaneria, who played 61 Tests for Pakistan between 2000 and 2010, is making another attempt to have his ban overturned by filing a case against the ECB, saying that the board has taken away his ‘bread and butter’ cricket.
The former player, who took 261 Test wickets between 2000 and 2010 to become the most successful Pakistan spinner in history, added that if he met Westfield, he would ask him as to why did he put a knife in his back and destroy a wonderful career.
Kaneria has accused the ICC of treating him differently from Westfield, who was given a five-year ban from professional cricket and has recently been cleared to play club cricket in Essex, although the ECB stated that it is happy that Kaneria had been treated fairly and endorsed both panels’ decision to impose a life ban in this instance. (ANI)