PCB not helping Kaneria because he is a Hindu: National Assembly Panel

Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria fight against lifetime ban imposed by English and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has taken a political angle after he received the backing of the members of a parliamentary committee on Monday after the Committee members alleged that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not helping Kaneria “because he belongs to Hindu community”.

“PCB is not providing financial and legal assistance to Kaneria because he is a Hindu by faith,” said PML-N lawmaker Ramesh Kumar Vankvani during the meeting of National Assembly’s (NA) Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination.

The committee’s meeting was chaired by Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party’s Abdul Qahar Khan Wadan to discuss the various management and financial issues of PCB, including the performance of national cricket team.

Vankvani was of the view that Kaneria was being discriminated against and the PCB officials were not assisting him like they had helped other cricketers in the past.

Iqbal Muhammad Ali, a member of the committee, while supporting the arguments of Vankvani said, “Kaneria has no money and cannot fight the case on his own.”

“Kaneria has now himself said that he was being mistreated because he is a Hindu,” added Ali.

He urged the PCB to provide legal and financial assistance to the leg spinner so that he can pursue his case against lifetime ban in the court.

Responding to Vankvani’s allegations, PCB Chief Operating Officer Subhan Ahmed said: “According to anti-corruption codes of International Cricket Council (ICC), PCB cannot provide any assistance to Kaneria.”

“If any cricket board imposes ban on any player, all the member countries of ICC are bind to follow and implement the decision,” reiterated Ahmed.

He added that PCB did not provide any assistance to Muhammad Aamir, Muhammad Asif, and Salman Butt when they were convicted.

Danish Kaneria, while talking to Dawn.com, said he was glad to hear that his case was being pursued.

“I am thankful to the standing committee for raising the issue. I am grateful to Iqbal Muhammad Ali and Ramesh Kumar Vankvani for pursuing my case. It has given me a new hope to continue my career and represent Pakistan,” Kaneria said.

Kaneria said that he had already written several letters to parliamentarians in the past few months to pursue his case with PCB.

Kaneria said Subhan Ahmed is speaking under the pressure of English Cricket Board and whatever Ahmed said before the NA standing committee was not completely true.

“I do not think there is any law that bars PCB from pursuing the case of any contractual player,” adding that he was under contract and “PCB is like fatherly figure for players. How can they just ignore my case, I have served Pakistan, I am a Pakistani national.”

Kaneria inquired that how can Subhan Ahmed say that PCB did not support the spot-fixing trio?

“Didn’t Tafazzul Rizvi fight their case? Isn’t he a lawyer of PCB?” Kaneria questioned. I was told that it’s my personal case, and PCB won’t support me,” he said.

Kaneria further said that PCB did fight for Amir in ICC. “Didn’t PCB violate ‘Zero tolerance policy’ for Amir?”

“Whatever PCB said, it comes under ECB’s pressure.”

Kaneria has been fighting to restore his honor and make a comeback to international cricket. The 35-year-old was banned for life by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for his alleged role in spot-fixing in a NatWest Pro40 game between Essex and Durham. Kaneria was a key player of the Essex team. He subsequently filed an appeal against the ban but was rejected in July 2013.