Many people have tried to change my religion, but did not succeed: Danish Kaneria

Danish Kaneria was in the news last year after going on record to state that he faced discrimination in the Pakistan cricket team for being a Hindu.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Danish Kaneria admitted that he faced discrimination in the Pakistan team for being a Hindu
• It was Shoaib Akhtar who had revealed that Kaneria was mistreated by his teammates due to his religion
• Kaneria was the second Hindu to represent the Pakistani cricket team after Anil Dalpat

Controversial Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria gave a befitting reply to a fan who asked the former leg-spinner to change his religion and "accept Islam".

"Please Accept Islam.. Islam is gold. I know but that without Islam life is nothing. Your life a death people. Please accept this Gold. And Say to Kalma Sharif. Thanks," the fan named Amna Gull tweeted.

Kaneria replied: "Many people like you tried to change my religion, but did not succeed".

Kaneria was in the news last year after admitting that he faced discrimination in the Pakistan cricket team for being a Hindu. Former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar was the first to make the shocking revelation that Kaneria was mistreated in the national team during his playing days due to his religion.

Akhtar revealed that Kaneria's Pakistani teammates even barred him from picking up food from the same table as others because of his faith.

"The players who didn't like to talk to me just because I was a Hindu. Soon I will reveal their names. I did not have the courage to speak in this regard, but now I got the courage to speak on this issue when I heard Shoaib's statement," Kaneria had said but he never revealed the names of the players.

Danish Kaneria, who is fourth on the list of bowlers with most Test wickets for Pakistan, was the second Hindu to represent the Pakistani cricket team after Anil Dalpat. Kaneria bagged 261 Test wickets and 15 ODI scalps for Pakistan during his 10-year international career.

After allegations of being involved in spot-fixing, Kaneria was given a lifetime ban by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), preventing him from playing in matches under their jurisdiction. He subsequently filed an appeal against the ban, but this was rejected in July 2013.