Danesh Kaneria is not the first Pakistani player who has asked for the “opening hearing” in his appeal against the life-ban by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Two years ago the Pakistani batsman Younus Khan wanted the hearing of his appeal against an indefinite ban on him to be heard in the presence of the media. The appeal, which was officially made by his lawyer, Ahmed Qayyum (the son of former Jutisce Muhammad Qayyum, now recovering of his age-related illness in England) was turned down by Justice Irfan Qadir. “I have not been following Danesh Kaneria’s case and hence can’t comment on it but can certainly say that the hearings should be transparent and be held in open in normal circumstances”, Qadir said from Lahore. “I didn’t allow Younus’s hearings in public because “certain elements” wanted to take the advantage of it and undermine the working of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB),” he added. Even Justice Qayyum had kept all players’ hearings in camera some 12 years ago. The FICA (Federations of International Cricketers’ Association) has also backed the idea of “open hearing”. “Given the player is accused party and the other party agrees I don’t seem any reason to object to an open hearing,” Tim Maym, FICA CEO said from USA. Sadly, there is no registered players’ association in Pakistan. In the recent ICC Board meeting in Malaysia, Kaneria’s case came up for discussion, along with BCCI’s IPL, where few players have been banned. “It has been suggested to have an universal law to ban the “involved” player rather than he being banned only by local board”, the source said from Kuala Lumpur.
