'He Told Me to Convert,' - Danish Kaneria Accuses Shahid Afridi Of Religious Conversion
Danish Kaneria and Shahid Afridi | Source: X.com
Ex-Pakistan spinner, Danish Kaneria, recently shared his experiences of discrimination during his time with the Pakistan cricket team and revealed that Shahid Afridi, the Pakistani all-rounder, tried to persuade him to convert to Islam.
Kaneria opened up about the tough times he went through, with Inzamam-ul-Haq as his lone supporter. He also revealed that a majority of his fellow Pakistan players refused to dine with him, while Shahid Afridi, used to frequently bring up the topic of religious conversion.
Here’s what Danish Kaneria told Aaj Tak:
“I was doing well in my career and was playing county cricket too. Inzamam-ul-Haq supported me a lot and was the only captain who did so. Alongside him, Shoaib Akhtar. Shahid Afridi and many other Pakistan players troubled me a lot and didn't eat with me. They used to talk about conversion, but my religion is everything to me. Shahid Afridi was the main person telling me to convert and did a lot of times. Inzamam-ul-Haq never used to talk that way.”
Kaneria, Pakistan's most prolific spin bowler in terms of wickets, also disclosed that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) didn't back him during his career due to his Hindu faith, knowing that if he had played longer, he would have shattered numerous records.
“PCB didn't support me because I was Hindu, and I would break all the records. They couldn't drop me based on my performance. They knew I could break all the records and Pakistan has never had a Hindu rising through the ranks. India has given chances to everyone. My father also died at that time, so I was very upset.”
Kaneria's professional cricket journey came to an end in 2012. The events surrounding Danish Kaneria were incredibly unfortunate, highlighting the difficulties that minority cricketers in Pakistan encounter and prompting questions about religious discrimination.
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