The Pakistan Cricket Board remains tight-lipped about the future of leg-spinner Danish Kaneria after learning that his ties with an Indian bookmaker remain the subject of scrutiny by the ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit and the Essex police.
No one in the board is willing to say anything on Kaneria beyond the fact that his case could be decided by late January.
It is learnt that the ICC ACSU and Essex police have looked into Kaneria’s alleged friendship with an Indian Arun Bhatia, who is also said to be on the list of people suspected of shady dealings.
Kaneria is accused of introducing his Essex teammate Mervyn Westfield to Bhatia.
The PCB has not cleared Kaneria for Pakistan selection since last year after he was questioned by the Essex police with Westfield over a spot-fixing probe into a Pro-40 match involving Essex and Durham in late 2009.
The bowler also filed a petition in the Sindh High Court earlier this year against the PCB’s refusal to clear him as he claimed the ICC and Essex police had found him not guilty in the spot-fixing probe.
The court, however, dismissed the petition on technical grounds saying it didn’t have the jurisdiction to rule on the petition and Kaneria should approach the Lahore High Court where the PCB head office was located or the Supreme Court.
A source said a clear picture on whether Kaneria was clear in the spot-fixing probe would emerge in January when Westfield went on final trial for his role in the whole affair.
“The PCB has been informed by the Essex police and authorities that the trial of Westfield will be completed within two to three weeks in January during which it will become clear whether Kaneria is required for further questioning for his friendship with Bhatia,” the source said.
Kaneria also met new Chairman of the board Zaka Ashraf to plead his case but was told to be patient and wait until January. The PCB has quietly also sidelined Kamran Akmal and Wahab Riaz after they were also mentioned in the spot-fixing trial held in London involving banned and jailed Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer.
