Danish Kaneria takes a sly dig at Shahid Afridi with controversial ball-tampering picture

Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi was named the interim chief selector of the Pakistan men’s national team on Saturday. The news came as surprise to some as there was no prior report of the 45-year-old running for contention of the job.

Now that the news has been confirmed by the Pakistan Cricket Board many are coming up with their reactions to the appointment. One such person is the former Pakistan player Danish Kaneria. The former bowler has taken a cheeky dig at Afridi by posting a picture of Afridi biting the ball at WACA. The image also came with the captain, “Chief sector (laughing crying emoji).

Here’s the tweet: 

Chief selector 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/cdKokzJCyR

— Danish Kaneria (@DanishKaneria61) December 25, 2022

The controversial picture is from Pakistan’s two-wicket loss to Australia in the ODI at WACA. Following the incident, Pakistan’s then captain was charged with an article 2.2.9 offence of the Code of Conduct relating to “changing the condition of the ball in breach of Law 42.3 of the Laws of Cricket.”

As a result of this finding, Afridi was banned from two T20I matches. The former captain later admitted to tampering with the ball. He said, “I shouldn’t have done it. It just happened. I was trying to help my bowlers and win a match, one match,” he told the Pakistani news channel Geo TV. “There is no team in the world that doesn’t tamper with the ball. My methods were wrong. I am embarrassed, I shouldn’t have done it. I just wanted to win us a game but this was the wrong way to do it.”

Pakistan’s then coach Intikhab Alam also showed dismay at the issue and said, “It’s unacceptable. It shouldn’t have happened but it happened and I feel sorry for him. Being a captain you should be above everything but unfortunately, it’s happened.”

Kaneria seems to have stirred up a hornet’s nest with this tweet as it will certainly put a strain on the already bad relationship between many former Pakistan players and Danish Kaneria.