PCB directs Danish Kaneria to ECB to get life ban lifted
Kaneria was banned for life by ECB in 2012
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Pakistan Cricket Board have suggested Danish Kaneria to appeal to England and Wales Cricket Board, who imposed a life ban on the leg-spinner in 2012. The board has also turned down the appeal of Saleem Malik who wanted to be reintegrated into Pakistan cricket in a coaching or mentoring role.
After being found guilty of spot-fixing along with Essex team-mate Melvyn Westfield in English county cricket in 2012, Kaneria was banned for life from playing county cricket in England and Wales. Although he expressed his desire and even appealed to BCCI President Sourav Ganguly to help take his case to the ICC, he has, this far, always been left disappointed. Recently, Kaneria requested to be a part of PCB's rehabilitation program but now has been told to instead approach the England board.
"The PCB's rehabilitation programme is offered to players upon conclusion of the respective periods of ineligibility and not for players who are serving life bans. The life ban was imposed by the ECB and upheld by all ICC Members as per Article 9 of the ICC/PCB Anti-Corruption Code, and the only way it could have been overturned was by way of appeal, an avenue which has already been explored," the PCB statement stated, reported Cricbuzz.
Meanwhile, Saleem Malikās request to be reintegrated into Pakistan cricket has been pushed back once again by the board, who cited Malikās non-co-operation in the PCB Match-fixing scandal as the reason for the setback. The PCB is adamant that his comeback is not possible until Malik substantively deals with the questions regarding the 2000 sting operations.
"The denial and avoidance to respond to the transcripts doesn't change the admission when, in a 5 May 2014 letter to the then PCB Chairman, you wrote, 'Sir, after consultations and on my free will, I have reached a decision that I am ready to accept my wrongdoing, apologise to the fans and want to start by rehabilitation process. I fully understand the consequence of my decision and am ready to cooperate to every extent with ICC and PCB for my rehabilitation program. I would request PCB to talk to ICC if required and start my rehabilitation program at the earliest'."
