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Former Pakistani leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has levelled some serious allegation against ex-team-mate and skipper Shahid Afridi. Kaneria termed Afridi a liar, manipulator and characterless for mistreating and degrading him during their playing days.
Afridi has played a big part in his omission from the ODI squad and also noted that there were a lot of religious barriers headed by Afridi inside the team. Kaneria was banned for spot-fixing in 2012 by the ECB and he was banned for life from all the forms of cricket post that.
"Shoaib Akhtar was the first person to talk about my problem in public. Hats off to him for saying it (how I was mistreated in the team because of being a Hindu). However, he was later pressured by several authorities. He then stopped talking about it. But yes, it did happen to me. I was always degraded by Shahid Afridi. We used to play together for the same department, he used to keep me on the bench and didn’t let me play the one-day tournament," Kaneria made a huge revelation.
The leg spinner played for Pakistan from 2000 to 2010 in 61 Tests and 18 ODIs. He is the leading wicket-taker for Pakistan in Tests among the spinners with 261 wickets to his name in the longer format. Kaneria showed gratitude to Shoaib Akhtar for bringing the mistreatment of the former to light during his playing days as he was a Hindu.
"He didn’t want me to be in the team. He was a liar, a manipulator because he’s a characterless person. However, my focus was only on cricket and I used to ignore all these tactics. Shahid Afridi was the only person who would go to other players and provoke them against me. I was performing well and he was jealous of me. I am proud that I played for Pakistan. I was grateful," Kaneria said.
Kaneria also added that there were false allegations levelled against him and said that he was never involved in any kind of spot-fixing. The right-arm bowler was banned by the ECB in the year 2012 and was charged with spot-fixing in the English County Championship pro-league matches in 2009.
"Some false allegations were levelled against me (of spot-fixing). My name was joined with the person involved in the case. He was a friend of other Pakistani cricketers as well, including Afridi. But I don’t know why I was targeted. I just want to request the PCB to lift the ban so that I can do my work."
"There are several fixers who got out of the ban. I don’t know why I am not able to get that treatment. I have played for my country and I should be given a chance like others as well. Now I am not even playing any international cricket. I am not asking the PCB for any job, but please lift this ban so that I can live peacefully and do my work with respect," he added.
