<p>Pakistan's banned Test leg-spinner Danish Kaneria on Friday said there were a "few players" who targeted him for being a Hindu during his time with the national team but he never felt the urge or the pressure to change his religion.</p>.<p>The spinner, who is serving a life ban for spot-fixing, has been brought into focus after former pacer Shoaib Akhtar alleged that some Pakistani players refused to even share food with him due to his faith.</p>.<p>Speaking to 'Samaa' channel on Friday, Kaneria said a few players made remarks about him behind his back.</p>.<p>"(But) I never made an issue of it. I just ignored them because I wanted to focus on my cricket and bring victories for Pakistan," he said.</p>.<p>"<gwmw class="ginger-module-highlighter-mistake-type-3" id="gwmw-15774517751579410613188">Look I</gwmw> am a proud Hindu and Pakistani. I would like to make it clear here don't try to portray our cricket fraternity in Pakistan in a negative manner because there are a lot of people who have supported me and backed me regardless of my religion," he added.</p>.<p>When asked about former batsman Yousuf Youhana, a Christian who converted to Islam, Kaneria said he would not comment on an individual choice.</p>.<p>"What Muhammad Yousuf did was his personal <gwmw class="ginger-module-highlighter-mistake-type-3" id="gwmw-15774517787217876150227">decision but</gwmw> I never felt the need to change my religion because I believe in it and no one forced me either to do it," he said.</p>.<p>When pressed on Akhtar's comments, Kaneria chose to <gwmw class="ginger-module-highlighter-mistake-type-1" id="gwmw-15774517796160502319605">side-step</gwmw> a day after acknowledging the discrimination and threatening to come out with names.</p>.<p>"Shoaib <gwmw class="ginger-module-highlighter-mistake-type-1" id="gwmw-15774517806600770294794">bhai</gwmw> has said what he must have heard or someone must have told <gwmw class="ginger-module-highlighter-mistake-type-3" id="gwmw-15774517806614424958223">him but</gwmw> I have represented Pakistan at the highest level and I feel proud of it. When I came into cricket I always wanted to represent Pakistan at the highest level and I did that," he said.</p>.<p>The leg-spinner, who played 61 Tests for Pakistan, made it clear that former captain Inzamam-<gwmw class="ginger-module-highlighter-mistake-type-1" id="gwmw-15774517821383141394247">ul</gwmw>-Haq always supported him.</p>.<p>"Inzamam called me a match-winner. I can say a lot of institutions supported me in my career. I always did my best on the ground to prove Inzamam right. The fact is I am proud to be a Pakistani," he said.</p>.<p>Pressed to name those few players who he felt targeted him, Kaneria said he would reveal their names later on his YouTube channel.</p>.<p>"The time is not right and I will use my channel to talk about it."</p>.<p>Asked to recall any incident where players refused to eat with him, Kaneria said, "Pakistan is my <gwmw class="ginger-module-highlighter-mistake-type-1" id="gwmw-15774517868614802061551">janamBhumi</gwmw> and I don't think anyone should <gwmw class="ginger-module-highlighter-mistake-type-1" id="gwmw-15774517868610269950255">politicise</gwmw> this issue or our cricket fraternity because of a few players' <gwmw class="ginger-module-highlighter-mistake-type-1" id="gwmw-15774517868611068192009">behaviour</gwmw>. I request everyone don't give it a wrong angle."</p>
<p>Pakistan's banned Test leg-spinner Danish Kaneria on Friday said there were a "few players" who targeted him for being a Hindu during his time with the national team but he never felt the urge or the pressure to change his religion.</p>.<p>The spinner, who is serving a life ban for spot-fixing, has been brought into focus after former pacer Shoaib Akhtar alleged that some Pakistani players refused to even share food with him due to his faith.</p>.<p>Speaking to 'Samaa' channel on Friday, Kaneria said a few players made remarks about him behind his back.</p>.<p>"(But) I never made an issue of it. I just ignored them because I wanted to focus on my cricket and bring victories for Pakistan," he said.</p>.<p>"<gwmw class="ginger-module-highlighter-mistake-type-3" id="gwmw-15774517751579410613188">Look I</gwmw> am a proud Hindu and Pakistani. I would like to make it clear here don't try to portray our cricket fraternity in Pakistan in a negative manner because there are a lot of people who have supported me and backed me regardless of my religion," he added.</p>.<p>When asked about former batsman Yousuf Youhana, a Christian who converted to Islam, Kaneria said he would not comment on an individual choice.</p>.<p>"What Muhammad Yousuf did was his personal <gwmw class="ginger-module-highlighter-mistake-type-3" id="gwmw-15774517787217876150227">decision but</gwmw> I never felt the need to change my religion because I believe in it and no one forced me either to do it," he said.</p>.<p>When pressed on Akhtar's comments, Kaneria chose to <gwmw class="ginger-module-highlighter-mistake-type-1" id="gwmw-15774517796160502319605">side-step</gwmw> a day after acknowledging the discrimination and threatening to come out with names.</p>.<p>"Shoaib <gwmw class="ginger-module-highlighter-mistake-type-1" id="gwmw-15774517806600770294794">bhai</gwmw> has said what he must have heard or someone must have told <gwmw class="ginger-module-highlighter-mistake-type-3" id="gwmw-15774517806614424958223">him but</gwmw> I have represented Pakistan at the highest level and I feel proud of it. When I came into cricket I always wanted to represent Pakistan at the highest level and I did that," he said.</p>.<p>The leg-spinner, who played 61 Tests for Pakistan, made it clear that former captain Inzamam-<gwmw class="ginger-module-highlighter-mistake-type-1" id="gwmw-15774517821383141394247">ul</gwmw>-Haq always supported him.</p>.<p>"Inzamam called me a match-winner. I can say a lot of institutions supported me in my career. I always did my best on the ground to prove Inzamam right. The fact is I am proud to be a Pakistani," he said.</p>.<p>Pressed to name those few players who he felt targeted him, Kaneria said he would reveal their names later on his YouTube channel.</p>.<p>"The time is not right and I will use my channel to talk about it."</p>.<p>Asked to recall any incident where players refused to eat with him, Kaneria said, "Pakistan is my <gwmw class="ginger-module-highlighter-mistake-type-1" id="gwmw-15774517868614802061551">janamBhumi</gwmw> and I don't think anyone should <gwmw class="ginger-module-highlighter-mistake-type-1" id="gwmw-15774517868610269950255">politicise</gwmw> this issue or our cricket fraternity because of a few players' <gwmw class="ginger-module-highlighter-mistake-type-1" id="gwmw-15774517868611068192009">behaviour</gwmw>. I request everyone don't give it a wrong angle."</p>