Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has expressed his regrets spot-fixing in 2009 he has already paid a big price and feels that now the restrictions on him should be lifted. After six years of denial, in 2018, Kaneria had acknowledged the allegation imposed in 2009 and had also apologized to former Essex team-mate Mervyn Westfield.
During a recent chat with India Today, Kaneria said, “I regret it a lot. The regret is that had I informed the authorities that time then today this would not be happening.”
Two years back, Kaneria admitted have pressured Westfield – who was handed a four-month prison sentence – into agreeing to concede 12 runs during an over of a one-day match for Essex against Durham in 2009. Kaneria had received a life ban and described by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), who also banned Westfield for five years.
ALSO READ: Shane Warne names Aussie Great as “the most selfish cricketer”
The leg-spinner elaborated, “I did a mistake and I pleaded guilty. I have paid for the mistake. My international career got ruined but now, at least for humanity’s sake, I ask to lift up the restrictions on me so that I could take the art of leg-spin forward. I regret it but now I want to do something that people could remember always. What was done was wrong and should not have done that. It was a mistake and the consequences have been big.”
Kaneria is fourth on the list of bowlers with most wickets in the longest format for Pakistan, behind only fast bowlers Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Imran Khan. The leg-spinner said he has no other source of livelihood and thus gave started a Youtube channel.
ALSO READ: Cricket returns to the Caribbean as Vincy Premier League starts on Friday
Danish Kaneria said, “I do not have any job. I used to go on news shows earlier, but the big Pakistan news channels have not paid my dues. I can just request them to pay. Now the channels have gone against me. So, now I have started my new YouTube channel. Do not have a team as of now. My elder brother has been taking care of family and finances.”
