Shoaib Akhtar has exposed the discrimination faced by a Hindu player in the Pakistan cricket team's dressing room. He said his teammates ill-treated Danish Kaneria for being a Hindu
Bengaluru: Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has exposed his countrymen’s hatred towards Hindus when he revealed how Danish Kaneria (Full name — Danish Parabha Shanker Kaneria) was ill-treated by his teammates in the national team.
Akhtar, while talking on “Game on Hai” show on PTV Sports, said his teammates discriminated against leg-spinner Kaneria (pictured above) for being a Hindu. Akhtar said many were not willing to even eat with him during matches for the national team.
On a Pakistani TV channel chat show titled ‘Game on Hai’, former pacer Shoaib Akhtar revealed how Pakistani cricket team treated Danish Kaneira, a Hindu, unfairly. Kaneria, as per Akhtar, was mistreated for his religion. Pak players refused to even eat with Kaneria, Akhtar said. pic.twitter.com/Nb62FaTbDE
— Prasar Bharati News Services (@PBNS_India)Also read: Shoaib Akhtar praises Virat Kohli
“In my career I fought with two three (in the team) when they started talking on regionalism. Things like 'who is from Karachi, Punjab or Peshawar', that used to infuriate. So what if someone is a Hindu, he is doing well for the team,” Akhtar, one of the fastest bowlers in the world, said.
Pak cricketer Danish Kaneria to ANI on Shoaib Akhtar's allegations that Pak players had problems eating with Kaneria as he's a Hindu:He told the truth. I'll reveal names of players who didn't like to talk to me as I was a Hindu. Didn't have courage to speak on it, but now I will. pic.twitter.com/HmeSUhtbUk
— ANI (@ANI)“They used to say 'sir ye yaaha se khaana kaise le raha hain' (how is he taking food from this place)?” he added.
Kaneria played 61 Tests for Pakistan and took 261 wickets. He also featured in 18 ODIs and took 15 wickets. He made his Test debut in 2000.
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Akhtar further said, “The same Hindu won the Test for us against England. If he is taking a bagful of wickets for Pakistan, he should play. We could not have won the series without Kaneria's effort. But not many gave him credit for that.”
The 39-year-old Kaneria admitted that he was indeed ill-treated during his playing days and said he would expose his teammates soon. Kaneria was the second Hindu to play for Pakistan after Anil Dalpat.
“Shoaib has been a legend of the game. His words are also as blunt as his bowling. When I was playing I did not have the courage to speak on these matters but after Shoaib bhai's comments, I do. He has always supported me and also Inzy bhai (Inzamam-ul-Haq), Mohammad Yusuf and Younis bhai (Younis bhai). Those who did not support me, I will make their names public soon,” Kaneria was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Kaneria was banned by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2012 over spot-fixing charges. In 2016, he had sought the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) help. At the time he was in India to visit several temples.
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