KARACHI, (Reuters) – Test spinner Danish Kaneria filed a High Court petition yesterday against the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) refusal to clear him to play international cricket.
“The PCB integrity committee has its reasons for not clearing Kaneria as he has still not satisfied them completely,” said the board’s legal adviser Tafazzul Rizvi.
Rizvi was referring to the fact the leg-spinner had his contract terminated by English county Essex last season after he had come under investigation in a spot-fixing case involving a Pro-40 match.
Essex police cleared Kaneria, 30, who submitted letters to the PCB from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and his county team to prove he was not under investigation.
“I have resorted to seeking justice from the court because I am frustrated and my family is also facing mental anguish,” the player told Reuters. “I want to be given a clean ticket by the board in this case.” The court is due to hear the petition tomorrow.
Kaneria, who has taken 261 wickets in 61 tests, last appeared for Pakistan against England in Nottingham in August 2010.
He was selected in the squad for the test series against South Africa late last year but the PCB stopped him from travelling to the Dubai venue, saying he had not been cleared to play for Pakistan.
“Our point of view is that when the Essex police, Essex county and International Cricket Council have cleared Kaneria then why is the PCB not clearing him? Their demands have been unreasonable,” said the player’s lawyer Farogh Naseem.
