KARACHI: Former captain Rashid Latif on Sunday accused Pakistan's cricket chiefs of "murdering" leg-spinner Danish Kaneria by refusing to let him play despite being cleared of a spot-fixing allegation in Britain.
The 31-year-old and fellow Essex bowler Mervyn Westfield were arrested last year on claims of spot-fixing during a Pro40 one-day match against Durham in 2009.
Kaneria was later released without being charged but Westfield faces criminal proceedings.
Kaneria appeared before an integrity committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in August but was not cleared. He then filed a petition in court in a bid to force the PCB to allow him to play again for his country.
"All around the cricketing world they preserve their players, however in Pakistan the ideology is just the opposite as the PCB is destroying Kaneria's career," said Latif, adding he was "amazed" at Kaneria's treatment.
"He is the most successful spinner of the country, hence should be treated with respect," said Latif.
"I would say it's an economical murder of a player who has served the country very well and is still eager to continue."
Sindh High Court last week directed the PCB to bring the transcript of the police investigation against Kaneria to court before it could make a decision.
Kaneria, who has taken 261 wickets in 61 Tests -- the most by any Pakistani spinner -- is allowed to play in domestic events only.
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@abhi:
Yousuf Youhana was Vice Captain of pakistan for a brief period and even captained the team in a couple of games. As Mohammad Yousuf he was appointed team captain. unfortunately he wasnt a very good one. minoriteis in pakistan are biased against but those who got their chances have made it. Danish Kaneria has played 61 test matches for Pakistan and that is a great career, more than many other players. Like many other players he is sidelined for one of the wide variety of reasons the PCB uses to sideline its players. He was aregular member of teh tem when Inzamam was captain and the teams "Islamic Movement" was at its peak
@Yuri Kondratyuk:
Yuri kaneria was a Hindu since birth. He has played 61 test matches as a Hindu. he remains a Hindu. His cousin Anil Dalpat also played several matches for Pakistan in the 80's and was a competent keeper. The reason for dropping him is not that he is a Hindu. Kamran Akmal is out of the team for the same reason. Mohammad Yousuf a converted Muslim also remains out of the team for reasons unknown. Those who claim that Yousuf converted because of his career should remember that Yousuf Youhana (as he was previously known before converting to islam from Christianity) was a Vice Captain of Pakistan and even captained the side in a match or too as Yousuf Youhana.
Just trying to say that Kaneria has not been dropped because he is a Hindu. If that was the reason then he wouldnt have played that many matches in the first place.
@kay: we faught with eachother and killed eachother in gujarat but you pakistanies ask US to bomb your own people.
It is not the case of any hindu/muslim. It is the basic issue that Pakistan has now upcoming potential such as Raza Hasan and Zulfiqar babar. Moreover, in a recently concluded test match Abdul Rahman - an A category player was sitting on a bench. Pakistan fast bowlers are already doing good job (is there any talent like Junaid or Aizaz in India). Hence where is the place for Danish K?
Yousuf, on the other hand, a great player, but do you remember he was a leader who ousted another great player Youns Khan. Remember enquiry after 2009 Australian series.
@abhi: Most players in Pak squad got a chance to captain the team ..... Younis khan, shoaib malik, salmaan butt, afridi, inzimam, misbah etc.....even Yousuf incidentally! He was the captain in Australia when Pakistan contrived to lose the test match from having the Aussies effectively 80 for 8! Being a Muslim apparently didn't stop him making strange fielding and bowling decisions. He was still turning the other cheek....!
This is expected, actually selection of Kaneria was some thing out of norm here. Real tragedy is Youhana, even after conversion he couldn't become captian.
@Rajesh Kumar: So are you saying those people in gujarat should live in separate countries?
@kay: In pakistan, this year alone more than 2000 innocent muslims were killed by fellow muslims. I mean Taliban has killed 100s of innocent muslims, Shias are being killed by sectarian forces, and violence in Karachi has killed many mohajirs and pashtoons. Gujarat like incident should never happen, but in pakistan, muslims are struggling to escape the wrath of fellow muslims. Then, how can you expect people of 2 different religion live side by side in Gujarat..
@BruteForce:
Please guys stop bringing races in pakistan. Dont make it a muslim, hindu, sikh, sunni, shia etc issue. There are 100s of muslim players to whom PCB has done the same thing what they are doing to kaneria. Its a pakistani issue not anything else. Its about the corruption in PCB and a handful of dictators who are sitting there for years and years. Please everyone be a muslim and than a pakistani only.
@Freeman:
Insane talk? Is Pakistan not a Country where just to get a passport you have to participate in suppressing and discriminating against a Community, by signing this shameful piece of document?
http://changinguppakistan.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/picture-2.png
If anything I am going light on charges, here.
Where are your Shahrukh Khans, your Manmohan Singhs, your A.R.Rahmans, your Ratan Tatas and your Abdul Kalams? Nobody even talks about the only Nobel prize won by a Pakistani, just because of him being a Ahmadi.
shameful!
Thank you Latif for speaking your mind!
@ImitatioN: ok i checked,Sir. I stand on my feet.
@kay: "you have forgotten the Gujrat massacre"
--no. you just forgot where it started.
He is school friend (St. Patrick's High School, Karachi) of my son Dawood Wilson. Both played for the school and elsewhere. There is no permanent place for any player tagged minority with them in any national game in Pakistan. Way back in 1996-97 my son was selected for under 19 but the other day his name was removed. Christian community in Lahore and elsewhere are aware about what took place with Mr. Yousuf Yohanna who is now Muhammad Yousuf ...... he had no options due to his family background. I hope Kaneria opens up but in the meantime he should get justice from Sindh High Court.
@Yuri Kondratyuk: You should not leave racist comments here without fully inside problem in this case. There are lots of muslim craicketers are also treated same way. So not difference in treating in muslim or non muslims in Pakistan.
@No faith in Pakistan: Are you seriously making a cricketing case somekind of socilogical anaylis of a whole country ? Where mariages with dogs come into it ?
is it because he is from minority community?
@kay: You have forgotten Godhra train burning carnage.
The reasons are pretty obvious. Yusuf Youhana converted, but Kaneria didn't.
Kaneria is a world class spinner and its a shame that the PCB is not standing by him.
How ironic - PCB officials are crawling out of the woodwork to defend Salman Butt. Yet they won't let Kaneria, who's been cleared by all accounts, play. Pakistan it seems has fallen into a bottomless hole and is trying to dig down further.
@Yuri Kondratyuk: That horse of yours must be pretty big I hope you don't break anything when you get off it
@Yuri
Looks like you have forgotten the Gujrat massacre... A Muslim in India is something to be
such a shame.
As soon as your born they make you feel small By giving you no time instead of it all Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all A Hindu in Pakistan is something to be A Hindu in Pakistan is something to be