I Was Targeted But Never Pressurised To Convert: Danish Kaneria

Kaneria's statement comes a day after his former teammate Shoiab Akhtar revealed during a chat show that the former spinner was treated unfairly by his Pakistani teammates during their playing days because he was a Hindu

I Was Targeted But Never Pressurised To Convert: Danish Kaneria/ Photo: AFP

Karachi: Pakistan's banned Test leg-spinner Danish Kaneria on Friday revealed that there were a "few players" in the Pakistani team who targeted him because of his Hindu faith but he was never pressurised to change his religion. Kaneria's statement comes a day after his former teammate Shoiab Akhtar revealed during a chat show that the former spinner was treated unfairly by his Pakistani teammates during their playing days because he was a Hindu.

"(But) I never made an issue of it. I just ignored them because I wanted to focus on my cricket and bring victories for Pakistan," he said while speaking to 'Samaa' channel. Kaneria said there were a few players who spoke behind his back but he got backing too.

"I am a proud Hindu and Pakistani. I would like to make it clear here don't try to portray our cricket fraternity in Pakistan in negative manner because there are a lot of people who have supported me and backed me regardless of my religion," he said.

Kaneria is serving a life ban for spot-fixing. He was asked about former batsman Yousuf Youhana, a Christian who converted to Islam.

"What Muhammad Yousuf did was his personal decision but I never felt the need to change my religion because I believe in it and no one forced me either to do it," he said.

On Akhtar's comments he said: "Shoaib bhai has said what he must have heard or someone must have told him but I have represented Pakistan at the highest level and I feel proud of it. When I came into cricket I always wanted to represent Pakistan at the highest level and I did that," he said.

He said former skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq always backed him.

"Inzamam called me a match-winner. I can say a lot of institutions supported me in my career. I always did my best on the ground to prove Inzamam right. The fact is I am proud to be a Pakistani," he said.

When quizzed about the few players who he felt discriminated against him, Kaneria said he would reveal their names later on his YouTube channel. "The time is not right and I will use my channel to talk about it.

(With agency Inputs)