Danish Kaneria finally reveals name of Pakistan cricketer who harassed him in dressing room

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Danish Kaneria has once again spoken out about the discrimination he faced during his cricketing career, this time accusing former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi of pressuring him to convert to Islam.

Danish Kaneria, who was Pakistan's second-ever Hindu cricketer, made these revelations during a Congressional briefing in Washington, DC.

"We all gathered here and shared our experiences of how we were treated in Pakistan. We have faced discrimination, and today, we raised our voices against it. I, too, have faced a lot of discrimination, and my career was destroyed. I did not receive the respect and equal value I deserved in Pakistan.

"Because of this discrimination, I am in the US today. We spoke to raise awareness and let the USA know how much we have suffered so that action can be taken," Kaneria stated, as quoted by India Today.

The 44-year-old leg-spinner revealed that Afridi, along with several other teammates, mistreated him and refused to eat with him. However, he acknowledged that Inzamam-ul-Haq and Shoaib Akhtar were the only individuals who supported him during his time with the national team.

"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. Shahid Afridi was the main person telling me to convert, and he did a lot of times. Inzamam-ul-Haq never used to talk that way," Kaneria added.

Kaneria's career, which spanned from 2000 to 2010, saw him represent Pakistan in 79 matches, including 61 Tests and 18 ODIs. He picked up 261 wickets in Test cricket, securing 15 five-wicket hauls and two 10-wicket match hauls. However, his career came to an abrupt end after he was found guilty of spot-fixing by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

This is not the first time Kaneria has spoken about religious discrimination within the Pakistan cricket setup. His latest allegations against Afridi reignite debates around inclusivity in sports and the treatment of minority players. While Afridi has previously denied similar claims made by Kaneria, this fresh accusation brings the issue back into the spotlight.