Mervyn Westfield has accepted an apology from Danish Kaneria for the spot-fixing scandal which ended his cricket career.
Westfield was imprisoned for accepting £6,000 from an illegal bookmaker for an offence in a game with Durham in 2009 and was later banned from professional cricket for five years by the England and Wales Cricket Board. It was Kaneria who introduced his Essex team-mate Westfield to the bookmaker.
In an interview broadcasted by a Gulf-based channel, seen by The Daily Mail, the Pakistan spin bowler apologises to Westfield.
“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.
“I have become strong enough to make this decision because you cannot live a life with lies.
“It’s been six years. I lost my friends … respect from the fans. I lost everything.”
He also pleaded with the ECB and International Cricket Council for his ban to be lifted.
It’s better late than live with the guilt for Danish Kaneria: https://t.co/QJBfbXgxI2
— Shahid Hashmi (@hashmi_shahid) October 18, 2018
“I want to ask for people’s forgiveness,” he added. “Cricket has given me so much in my life and I want to give something back.
“If the ECB and ICC and other bodies would give me a second chance, I can help to educate young people in cricket, teach them that if you do wrong, you are finished, like me.”
Westfield told The Daily Mail: “This whole chapter of spot-fixing changed my life, but I have never blamed anyone for the terrible mistake I made.
“However, opening up about my wrongdoing and telling the truth allowed me to move on.
“I hope that Danish finds peace and closure by doing this, and I wish him all the best for the future.”
Kaneria is banned for life for his role in cricket corruption.
