Danish Kaneria admits role in spot-fixing

Danish Kaneria admits role in spot-fixing: Former Pakistani spinner has accepted his involvement in a spot-fixing case of 2012.

Former Pakistani spinner Danish Kaneria, who last played international cricket in 2010, has admitted his role in a spot-fixing case which he was accused of way back in 2012. Playing for Essex, Kaneria had been the middleman between Essex-teammate Mervyn Westfield and Anu Bhatt, who was suspected for illegal betting by the ICC (International Cricket Council).

“My name is Danish Kaneria and I admit that I was guilty of the two charges brought against me by the England and Wales Cricket Board in 2012. I have become strong enough to make this decision, because you cannot live a life with lies,” Kaneria was quoted as saying to Al Jazeera.

“In 2005 on a West Indies tour, my assistant manager introduced me to Anu Bhatt, because he was a Hindu and he was a cricket fan. Then we were on a India tour and over there, 2008 it was I think, Anu Bhatt invited the whole team for dinner, so me and my wife and other cricketers went to his house for the dinner,” Kaneria said of his meeting and bonding with Bhatt.

Kaneria also talked about Westfield and his ambitions of becoming a “rich cricketer”. Playing international cricketer at that point in time, Kaneria was well-paid, something which Westfield wanted for himself.

“Mervyn used to tell me that he wants to become a rich cricketer. I was highly paid in Essex, and I was an international player at that time. And I was living a life, a very lavish life, so he also wanted to make money.

“I think he was targeted by Anu Bhatt and I think he fell into that temptation. Being an international cricketer and a senior cricketer, I should have taken it one step higher of telling Mervyn that this guy is suspicious,” he added.

Kaneria offered an apology to Westfield, his teammates at Essex and his country in Pakistan, adding that he can educate the young people regarding corruption in cricket. “I want to apologise to Mervyn Westfield, my Essex team-mates, my Essex cricket club, my Essex cricket fans. I say sorry to Pakistan.

“If the ECB and ICC and other bodies would give me a second chance I can help to educate young people in cricket, teach them that if you do wrong you are finished like me,” he further added.

On being asked about the reason why he didn’t admit the guilt for all these years, Kaneria answered that it was because of the ill health of his father. “His health was getting worse and worse. I didn’t have the courage to face him and tell him that I was wrong. He was a very, very proud guy. Very, very proud of me and what I did, representing Pakistan, representing my country,” he concluded.

Read some of the recent Twitter reactions on Kaneria below: