Danish Kaneria Vows to Fight Against England & Wales Cricket Board
The England & Wales Cricket Board banned Danish Kaneria, who played 61 Tests, for life in June 2012 for spot-fixing in county cricket while playing for Essex.
Pakistan's banned Test leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has vowed to challenge the move by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to seek legal help in Pakistan to recover almost 250,000 pounds from the him.
"I have read that the ECB has filed a petition through a local lawyer, Khawaja Naveed in the Sindh High Court in Karachi, in which they want the court to order me to pay them costs for the spot fixing hearings," Kaneria told PTI.
"Until now I have received no formal notice from them or their lawyer but when it comes I will consult my lawyers. But I will fight this also to the end," he added.
The ECB banned Kaneria, who played 61 Tests, for life in June 2012 for spot fixing in county cricket while playing for Essex.
The leg-spinner, only the second Hindu to play for Pakistan, then twice filed appeals. First before an appeals tribunal of the ECB and then a commercial court in London against the life ban. But both the times his appeals were rejected.
"The ECB has appointed me to represent them in this case and since Kaneria is a Pakistani citizen, residing in Karachi, they want the court to order him to pay the costs and fines incurred during the case," lawyer Naveed said.
"In the petition I have filed on behalf of ECB, they have demanded a payment of 249,000 pounds," he told PTI.
The well-known Pakistani lawyer said if the ECB's petition was accepted and it won the case, Kaneria would have to pay the fine. And in case if he failed to do so, the court can order his property and assets to be sold off to pay the fines and costs.
Kaneria said he was facing financial problems because of which he had delayed filing an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Geneva, which was his last resort.
"I am not earning a single paisa since the life ban as I have no links with cricket and my domestic team Habib bank have also terminated my services," Kaneria said.
He said that injustice was done to him and he would consult his lawyers on the next line of action.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has also wiped its hands off the Kaneria case, insisting he had committed a crime on foreign land and was banned by the ECB.
Under ICC laws the life ban imposed by ECB is also applicable by all other boards on Kaneria, including Pakistan.