Danish Kaneria, a former Pakistani spinner, disclosed the discriminatory treatment he endured from his teammates. As a Hindu cricketer, he was subjected to constant harassment, ultimately affecting his career. The severity of the situation led to intervention by then-President Pervez Musharraf, who issued a strong warning to the team. Kaneria shared these details during an interview.
During a podcast, Kaneria discussed the behavior of his fellow players, mentioning that former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi was a key instigator, frequently mocking his religion and making offensive comments that caused him considerable distress. Kaneria indicated that some of his teammates actively tried to hinder his participation in matches.
Kaneria stated that President Musharraf intervened by calling all players and explicitly warning that anyone found harassing him would face consequences. Kaneria believed this was fueled by his teammates’ desire to prevent his success, knowing he was close to breaking records.
Kaneria played for Pakistan for 10 years, playing 61 Test matches and securing 261 wickets in 112 innings. He is the leading wicket-taking spinner from Pakistan in Test cricket and ranks fourth overall in the list. He also secured 15 wickets in 18 ODIs.