NEWS
Follow UsPakistan spinner Danish Kaneria's plans to return to cricket suffered a big blow on Wednesday when the Sindh High Court dismissed his appeal to be allowed to work in coaching capacity.
In 2012, Kaneria was banned for life by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on allegations of under performance while playing county cricket for Essex. According to Article 6.5 of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code, the Pakistan Cricket Board is bound to implement the decision in all cricket under its jurisdiction.
Kaneria's advocate Asad Iftikhar said his client was never involved in spot fixing but confessed that he had arranged a meeting. PCB's chief legal officer Taffazul Rizvi said that the 41-year old's petition was dismissed.
"Yes we have won the case and Kaneria's writ petition has been dismissed by the bench of the Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court," Rizvi told Cricbuzz on Wednesday.
The court stated: "Ergo, the stance of the PCB appears to be well founded and we see no irrationality or unreasonableness afflicting the determination that the rehabilitation of the Petitioner (Danish Parabha Shankar Kaneria) cannot be considered during the subsistence of his suspension, and that only the ECB may consider granting any concession in that regard whilst determining whether the Petitioners conduct adequately reflects the due element of remorse."
The court also noted the televised interview of Kaneria where he had admitted to two of the charges levied against him.
"He did a volte-face so as to make an unequivocal admission of his guilt in a televised interview aired on the Al-Jazeera news channel on 20.10.2018 inter alia stating that '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'. During the course of that interview, he went on to say 'I have become strong enough to make this decision, because you cannot live a life with lies'."
Kaneria, who played 61 Tests and 18 ODIs for Pakistan, will now have to appeal with the ECB or file a plea in the UK court.