Banned Pakistani leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has filed a petition in the Sindh High Court as he has requested the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to allow him to undergo its rehabilitation programme for the players found guilty of corrupt activities.

Kaneria was banned for life from all formats of cricket by the English and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2012 on the match-fixing charges. He was involved in the spot-fixing attempts in the English County Championship pro league matches in 2009.

In a hearing presided over by Sindh High Court Judge Muhammad Ali Mazhar in Karachi on Wednesday, Kaneria's lawyer argued that his client had confessed to his offense and apologized.

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The lawyer further said the former Pakistan cricketer wants PCB to allow him to undergo its rehabilitation program as the life ban was imposed by neither the Pakistan board nor the ICC while pointing out that the life ban imposed by the ECB was limited only to cricket played in the UK. 

At the hearing, Kaneria said he only wants forgiveness for his mistakes and a chance to play in international and domestic cricket again since he had offers from some foreign T20 leagues but he could not accept them fearing PCB will stop him from playing.

He also told the court that the PCB had earlier allowed several other players who had also been found guilty of breaching the anti-corruption code to undergo the rehab program and get back into cricket.

The court has issued notices to the PCB and the federal sports ministry to appear and respond to the petitioner’s plea before the court in the next hearing on January 15, 2020.

(With PTI Inputs)