Ex-Pakistan bowler Danish Kaneria has admitted he was involved in the 2009 spot-fixing scandal which saw Mervyn Westfield jailed. The 37-year-old was handed a lifetime ban by the England and Wales Cricket Board in 2012 after they found him guilty of “cajoling and pressurising” Westfield into engineering a particular situation during a one-day game between Kent and Durham nine years ago.
Westfield was paid £6,000 to concede 12 runs in over bowling for Essex in the match and was subsequently sentenced to four months in prison for accepting the bride.
Despite being found guilty by the ECB, Kaneria has repeatedly denied his involvement in the scandal and has attempted to have his ban overturned on several occasions.
The leg-spinner, who took 261 Test wickets for Pakistan during his career, leaving him fourth in the nation’s all-time rankings, has now conceded he did in fact pressure Westfield into spot-fixing and has apologised to his former Essex team-mate.
“My name is Danish Kaneria and I admit that I was guilty of the two charges brought against me by the England and Wales Cricket Board in 2012,” he told Al Jazeera. “I have become strong enough to make this decision because you cannot live a life with lies.
“It’s been six years. I lost everything. I lost friends, respect from fans.
“I want to apologise to Mervyn Westfield, my Essex team-mates, Essex Cricket Club and the fans, to Pakistan and my fans around the world. And to my wife and family – I have let them all down.”
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