Danish Kaneria hits out at former Pakistan cricketers for supporting Mohammad Amir

In the wake of Mohammad Amir’s shocking retirement from international cricket, former spinner Danish Kaneria has taken a sly dig at former Pakistan cricketers. Support has been pouring in for Amir after he announced his retirement from international cricket on Thursday. Having retired from Tests last year, the 28-year old has now hung his boots from limited-overs cricket too.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the news on Thursday. In a press release, the board stated that its CEO Wasim Khan talked to Amir after reports of his retirement and the pacer confirmed the development. The release stated that Amir ‘has no desires or intensions of playing international cricket and as such, he should not be considered for future international matches’.

Amir’s retirement came amidst the rumours of poor relation between him and the Pakistan team management. Earlier on Thursday, the left-arm pacer gave an interview to Samaa TV in which he claimed he had been “mentally tortured” by the team management, taunted frequently and was being deliberately sidelined by them.

Danish Kaneria hits out

Following Mohammad Amir’s decision, several former cricketers including Shoaib Akhtar have thrown their support behind the pacer. However, the support for a ‘convicted’ cricketer has not gone down well with Danish Kaneria who has been pleading for the same from the PCB as well as former Pakistan cricketers.

The former cricketer was banned for life from all cricket by the English and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2012 on two charges for his role in spot-fixing attempts in the English County Championship pro league matches in 2009. Later in 2012, the PCB had issued a press release ratifying the ECB life ban on Kaneria.

The leg-spinner has been away from the cricket action since then and has been constantly trying to persuade the PCB to relax the punishment imposed on him. But unlike Amir, who returned to action in 2016 after serving a five-year ban for the spot-fixing scandal, Kaneria is yet to get any help. And thus when he saw the outpouring of support for the pacer, he could not help but take a dig at Pakistan’s cricket fraternity, tweeting:

“Aamir blasted at the recent management of PCB for the treatment he is facing,Ex test cricketers and super stars of Pakistan supports a Convicted,When i request or says anything Iam said I play religion card,why I don’t get the same treatment Don’t have clue? Iam not convicted”

Aamir blasted at the recent management of PCB for the treatment he is facing,Ex test cricketers and super stars of Pakistan supports a Convicted,When i request or says anything Iam said I play religion card,why I don’t get the same treatment 🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️Don’t have clue?Iam not convicted

— Danish Kaneria (@DanishKaneria61) December 17, 2020