Tag: Usman Khawaja

Australian opening batter Usman Khawaja will not wear shoes with messages highlighting the plight of people in Gaza when the first Test against Pakistan begins on Thursday, captain Pat Cummins said.

During training this week the 36-year-old opening batsman Usman Khawaja had hand-written slogans “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal” on his shoes.

The Pakistan-born Khawaja had reportedly said he would wear the shoes for the opening Test in Perth.

But Cummins told reporters on Wednesday: “I spoke to him just quickly and he said he won’t be.

“Just kind of drew attention to the ICC rules, which I don’t know if Uzzie (Khawaja) was across beforehand.

“Uzzie doesn’t want to make too big of a fuss.”

Governing body the International Cricket Council bans any messages during matches that relate to politics, religion or race.

Four days ago, Khawaja shared a video on Instagram from the children’s charity UNICEF from Gaza.

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In the post, Khawaja, who is Muslim, commented: “Do people not care about innocent humans being killed?

“Or is it the colour of their skin that makes them less important? Or the religion they practise?

“These things should be irrelevant if you truly believe that ‘we are all equal’.”

Speaking earlier Wednesday, Australian Sports Minister Anika Wells said she believed Khawaja’s shoes did not break ICC rules.

“I think he has done it in a peaceful and respectful way,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted her as saying.

Cricket Australia said in a statement that it supported “the right of our players to express personal opinions.

“But the ICC has rules in place which prohibit the display of personal messages, which we expect the players to uphold.”

In 2014 the ICC banned England all-rounder Moeen Ali from wearing wristbands saying “Save Gaza” and “Free Palestine” during a home Test.

READ: Pakistan’s Playing XI for First Test against Australia unveiled

Usman Khawaja jumped to the defence of his opening partner David Warner on Monday after stinging criticism of the veteran batsman from Australian great Mitchell Johnson.

Former fast bowler Johnson hit out after Warner kept his spot in Australia’s squad to face Pakistan in the first Test later this month despite a poor run of red-ball form.

The three-match home series against Pakistan is expected to be Warner’s farewell to Test cricket.

The decision to keep faith with Warner provoked a strong response from Johnson, who questioned why his former team-mate should be given a “hero’s send-off” in light of his poor Test form.

“Can somebody please tell me why?” he wrote in The West Australian newspaper at the weekend, also bringing up Warner’s central role in the notorious “Sandpaper-gate” ball-tampering scandal in 2018.

Steve Smith and Warner were both banned for a year for their part in the scandal, but Khawaja told reporters on Monday: “Davey Warner and Steve Smith are heroes in my mind.”

“No one’s perfect,” Khawaja added.

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“Mitchell Johnson isn’t perfect, I’m not perfect, Steven Smith isn’t perfect, David Warner isn’t perfect.

“What they’ve done for the game from a positive point of view… far outweighs anything else they’ve done.

“So for (Johnson) to imply that Davey Warner or anyone else involved in the sandpaper (scandal), is not a hero, I strongly disagree with that.”

The first Test against Pakistan in Perth starts on December 14, before the traditional Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, then Sydney, beginning January 3.

Warner has indicated he plans to quit the five-day game after the Test at his home Sydney Cricket Ground but will continue in white-ball cricket.

Warner was in scintillating form at the recent 50-over World Cup, but he has scored just one Test century since early 2020 and has averaged only 28 since the 2019-2020 summer in Australia.

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Fresh footage from Lord’s Long Room has emerged, revealing that Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja was subjected to abuse by MCC members as he and other players climb up the stairs to their dressing room on day five of the second Ashes Test.

The controversial dismissal of England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow on the fifth day of the second Ashes Test ignited the home crowd, leading to boos and chants of “same old Aussies, always cheating” towards the Australian players throughout the rest of the game.

Things took an ugly turn during the lunch break when Pat Cummins and his teammates entered the Long Room, where MCC members voiced their displeasure with Alex Carey’s stumping.

In the footage that was out in the public domain earlier, Usman Khawaja and David Warner were seen confronting one of the abusive members in the Long Room.

New footage recorded on a mobile showed how Usman Khawaja was a target in the Long Room, leading to him confronting a member and calling security.

Usman Khawaja can be seen stopping and pointing out one of the members to security as he is going up the stairs.

https://youtu.be/2cwjZAIrna8

The video – which was shared with Australian media – was from a different angle from the one that was broadcast live during the game.

The left-handed batter himself has come out and spoken about the incident, saying that he was “disappointed by some of the stuff that came out of the member’s mouths.”

Speaking to international media, he said: “The Lord’s crowd is great, particularly the members are great, but some of the stuff coming out of the members’ mouths was really disappointing.

“I wasn’t going to stand by and cop it, so I just talked to a few of them. A few of them were throwing out some pretty big allegations and I just called them up on it,” he said.

In the aftermath of the incident, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) took strict action and suspended its three members.

The MCC released a statement and apologised “unreservedly” to the Australian cricket team.

“MCC can confirm it has suspended three Members identified from earlier today. They will not be permitted back to Lord’s whilst the investigation takes place,” said MCC in a press release.

“We maintain that the behaviour of a small number of Members was completely unacceptable and whilst there was no suggestion by Pat Cummins in the post-match press conference that there was any physical altercation, it remains wholly unacceptable to behave in such a way, which goes against the values of the Club.

“MCC condemns the behaviour witnessed and once again we re-iterate our apology to Cricket Australia.”

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Australia’s Usman Khawaja dug in to put Australia in control against England after the hosts’ batting collapse in the second Ashes Test at Lord’s on Friday.

Ashes-holders Australia were strongly placed at 130-2 in their second innings, a lead of 221 runs, when rain forced an early close to the third day’s play.

Conditions for batting, with the floodlights switched on to counter the gloomy skies in London, were challenging.

But Khawaja, whose hundred at Edgbaston last week helped Australia take a 1-0 lead in the five-match Ashes series, held firm to reach 58 not out at stumps.

Steve Smith was unbeaten on six following his 110 in Australia’s first-innings 416.

Khawaja and fellow left-handed opener David Warner, who made an unusually restrained 25 off 76 balls, were content to defend in traditional Test-match fashion against the moving ball.

And when Stuart Broad overpitched, Khawaja stylishly drove him through cover-point for four.

Australia’s approach was in marked contrast to the aggressive ‘Bazball’ style that led to several England top-order batsmen throwing away their wickets against the short ball on Thursday.

Usman Khawaja was reprieved on 19 when he pulled fast bowler Josh Tongue to James Anderson at forward square only for the ball to go through the hands of the England veteran, who did not appear to pick up the ball early enough.

England eventually broke through after repeatedly beating the outside edge when the Ashes debutant Tongue nipped one back to have Warner lbw, leaving Australia 63-1.

Marnus Labuschagne was given out lbw for just three, only for the decision to be overturned on review.

Labuschagne, however, was dismissed for 30 when he steered Anderson to Harry Brook at backward point.

But Usman Khawaja, combining attack and defence, completed a 105-ball fifty, with 40 of his runs coming in boundaries.

Earlier, Mitchell Starc led the world Test champions’ charge as England collapsed to 325 all out in a subdued atmosphere at Lord’s.

The home side, who had resumed on 278-4, added 47 runs in 15.2 overs as the wickets tumbled, with Australia 91 runs ahead on first innings.

Starc, the only change to the Australia XI that enjoyed a thrilling two-wicket win at Edgbaston, took 3-88 in 17 overs.

“It’s a shame it finished early today but it was a really positive morning for us to bowl them out and have a bit of a lead,” Starc told the BBC.

“Our top order capitalised on that early, there was some good bowling, pressure built but our guys got through that.”

Turning to England’s slump, he added: “We knew if we could take a couple (of wickets) early and get some inroads into their tail, things could go the way they did.”

Several England batsmen, including opener Ben Duckett, who was out for 98, fell into a blatant hooking trap late on the second day.

England suffered a further setback off just the second ball of Friday’s play when captain Ben Stokes fell for his overnight 17.

A delivery from left-arm express quick Starc leapt off a length and took the outside edge, with Cameron Green holding a sharp catch at second slip.

It was a morale-boosting start to the day for Australia, bidding for a first Ashes series win in England in 22 years, after off-spinner Nathan Lyon was unable to take the field after suffering a calf strain.

England rising star Brook, 45 not out overnight, completed a 63-ball fifty but his determination to attack proved his undoing.

Brook backed away from a short Starc ball and tried to flat-bat the delivery down the ground, only to slice to extra-cover, where Australia captain Pat Cummins held a simple catch.

At 293-6 England were left looking to Jonny Bairstow, the last of their specialist batsmen, to get on level terms.

Bairstow, however, had only managed 16 when he chipped fast bowler Josh Hazlewood to Cummins at mid-on in search of quick runs with only the lower order for company.

Part-time spinner Travis Head, filling in for Lyon, took two wickets in five balls, a charging Ollie Robinson caught behind, before Broad, previously shaken up a Green bouncer, was lbw.

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AHMEDABAD: Opener Usman Khawaja hit a masterful 180 and Cameron Green struck a maiden century before Australia were bowled out for 480 by India on day two of the fourth Test on Friday.

Khawaja’s mammoth knock off 422 balls and his 208-run fifth-wicket partnership with Green put the tourists in the box seat in Ahmedabad.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin led the Indian attack, claiming six wickets on a pitch still looking good for batting at the world’s biggest cricket stadium.

India reached 36 for no loss at stumps, still trailing the tourists by 444 runs.

Skipper Rohit Sharma, on 17, and Shubman Gill, on 18, looked positive and attacked the Australian spinners, who bowled five of the 10 overs before close of play.

The opening pair smashed four boundaries between them including a big six by Gill off senior Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.

Khawaja stood out in his marathon knock which ended on the first ball after tea when Axar Patel trapped the left-hander lbw, a decision that was denied by the on-field umpire but successfully reviewed by India.

Todd Murphy (41) and Lyon (34) kept the Indian bowlers frustrated in a 70-run stand for the ninth wicket before Ashwin broke through for his 32nd five-wicket haul in Tests.

Ashwin trapped Murphy lbw before dismissing Lyon to wrap up the innings.

In what has been a low-scoring series, giant all-rounder Green got his first international hundred with a boundary in the second session and was greeted with a hug from Khawaja.

Ashwin snared two wickets in one over after a wicketless first session for the hosts.

He broke the Khawaja-Green stand — Australia’s highest Test partnership in India since 1979 — after he got Green caught behind for 114 off a delivery sliding down the leg side.

Khawaja, who struck his first Indian Test ton on day one and 14th overall, kept up the grind to break the Australian record for longest Test innings in India.

The previous record was Graham Yallop’s 392-ball knock in Kolkata, also in 1979.

Khawaja resumed on his overnight 104 and took charge after Australia elected to bat in their bid to square the series 2-2.

The hosts need a win to clinch the four-match series and secure a berth in the World Test Championship final in June at The Oval.

Steve Smith is captaining Australia in the absence of regular Test skipper Pat Cummins.

Australia’s players wore black armbands on Friday after it was announced that Cummins’ mother had died.

AHMEDABAD: Opener Usman Khawaja struck the first century of the series by an Australian batsman as the tourists reached 255-4 on Thursday’s opening day of the fourth Test against India.

The left-handed Khawaja, batting on 104, put on key stands including a 79-run third-wicket partnership with skipper Steve Smith, who made 38, to hand Australia a strong start.

After a long grind, Khawaja was batting alongside Cameron Green, on 49, at close of play after Australia elected to bat at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

The Pakistan-born Khawaja jumped up in joy after he raised the second hundred of a low-scoring series with a boundary in the final over of the day.

India skipper Rohit Sharma hit 120 in the opener, but is now second to the Australian opener, who leads the series batting chart with 257 runs.

Green remained the attacking partner in an unbeaten 85-run partnership with Khawaja that once again stamped Australia’s dominance despite two wickets in the final session.

Travis Head started aggressively and made 32 in a 61-run opening partnership with Khawaja before India hit back with two wickets in the first session.

Khawaja and stand-in-skipper Smith got down to hard work after lunch to wear down the Indian bowlers on a pitch that looks good for batting.

Ravindra Jadeja bowled Smith after the left-arm spinner’s delivery skidded off the turf to get the batsman’s inside and onto the stumps.

Mohammed Shami got his second wicket after bowling Peter Handscomb, but Khawaja kept up the hard work.

Pace spearhead Shami started the match with a wide and Khawaja soon got a boundary.

The pitches in the first three Tests were rank turners, with the highest total being India’s 400 in the opening match.

The left-handed Head took charge to hit a flurry of boundaries including three in one over from pace bowler Umesh Yadav.

Head survived a reprieve on seven when wicketkeeper Srikar Bharat dropped a simple catch off Yadav and the opener added 25 more before being dismissed by Ravichandran Ashwin.

Khawaja attempted to build another partnership, but Shami got Marnus Labuschagne for three, with a delivery that came in and rattled the stumps.

– Modi, Albanese present –

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese were in attendance for the first hour of play at the 132,000-capacity stadium, named after the Indian premier.

A bumper crowd greeted the two leaders before focus turned to cricket as Smith won the toss and named an unchanged XI from their previous win in Indore that kept the series alive at 2-1.

India need a win to clinch the series and secure their berth in the World Test Championship final, scheduled for June at The Oval in London.

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Pakistan-born Australian batter Usman Khawaja’s departure for India has been delayed after he faced issues in acquiring a visa even as his teammates began leaving for the four-game Test tour, commencing on February 9.

Khawaja, however, took a humorous dig at the situation when he posted an image from the famous Netflix series ‘Narcos’ on his Instagram on Wednesday.

“Me waiting for my Indian Visa like…” he wrote above an image in which Pablo Escobar – played by actor Wagner Moura- is sitting alone on a swinging seat.

He also used the hashtags “stranded” and “dontleaveme”(do not leave me) in his post as the second group of Australian players and support staff had left from Sydney in the afternoon.

 

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A post shared by Usman Khawaja (@usman_khawajy)

According to the reports, the left-handed opener is now scheduled to depart on Thursday.

Khawaja, who moved to Australia from Pakistan aged 4, has toured India multiple times before and had an episode of visa denial by Indian authorities previously.

In 2011 he was initially refused a visa to play in the T20 Champions League for New South Wales before representations to the Indian high commission resolved the situation.

On their visit to India, Australia will spend four days in Bengaluru for preparations before moving to Nagpur for the opening Test.

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SYDNEY: Captain Pat Cummins declared Australia’s first innings at 475 for four leaving opening batsman Usman Khawaja stranded on 195 on the fourth day of the third Sydney Test against South Africa on Saturday.

Play was not possible on the fourth morning due to light rain and a wet outfield.

Australia lead the series 2-0 after big wins in Brisbane and Melbourne and are pushing for a series whitewash to seal their place in the World Test Championship final in London in June.

Captain Cummins then bowled Australia into contention to pull off a remarkable victory with a fiery spell as he captured three for 29 in a hostile 14 overs to set up the Australians for a dramatic final day charge for victory and a series clean sweep against the hapless Proteas.

At the close on day four, South Africa were batting for survival at 149 for six in reply to Australia’s 475-4 declared with Marco Jansen on 10 and Simon Harmer six.

The outgunned South Africans have only passed 200 once so far in this series.

The Australians need 14 more wickets to pull off an astonishing victory and cannot be counted out after rocking the tourists in Saturday’s two dominant sessions of the rain-marred Test.

Josh Hazlewood made the initial breakthrough, removing Dean Elgar for 15 continuing the Proteas’ skipper’s wretched series of low scores.

Hazlewood, bowling a lively opening spell, got Elgar with a brutal short-pitched delivery which clipped his glove for a catch by wicketkeeper Alex Carey.

Nathan Lyon stunned Sarel Elwee who did not play a shot and was bowled top of off-stump for 18 leaving the tourists 37-2 in the 18th over.

Four balls later Cummins claimed his first victim with Heinrich Klaasen, caught off a lifter leg-side by Carey for two.

Hazlewood broke through again after tea with an inswinger that kissed the edge of Temba Bavuma’s bat for Carey to do the rest.

Bavuma clouted two sixes off Lyon in his 35 off 74 balls but was a big wicket for the Aussies to leave the visitors 85-4 in the 39th over.

“The boys said it’s starting to reverse swing so if we can keep the ball dry and put a bit of work into it, then hopefully the boys can do the job with reverse swing,” Lyon said during a drinks break.

“There is a bit of rough out here now so we’ll try to get them on the front foot and see what we can do.”

Cummins removed Khaya Zondo with a superb yorker that trapped him leg before wicket for 39 and South Africa’s fifth wicket.

The skipper charged in to lead the Australian bowling assault with two fearsome deliveries thudding into Marco Jansen’s upper body.

Cummins quickly got another wicket, with Kyle Verreynne edging to Steve Smith at slip for 19 for Smith’s 151st Test catch.

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SYDNEY: Usman Khawaja said it would be “harsh” if he was denied the chance of claiming his first Test double century by a declaration in Australia’s third Test against South Africa.

The entire third day’s play was washed out by rain in Sydney on Friday in the final Test of what has been a one-sided series in favour of the hosts.

Australia skipper Pat Cummins now has a decision to make ahead of Saturday’s fourth day: whether to declare the team’s first-innings at 475-4 and get the Proteas in to bat or give Khawaja the chance to bring up a landmark double century.

Khawaja is stranded on 195. Matt Renshaw, who tested positive for Covid at the start of the match, is five not out.

“I think it’d be pretty harsh if he (Cummins) bowled straight away. I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Khawaja told reporters after another frustrating day in the rain-hit match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

“He’s been making a few jokes… (saying) ‘I’ve let (South African skipper) Dean Elgar know that we want to go out and have a bowl straight away’.

“We could go out there and get a few more runs really quickly or we could declare pretty much straight away. I’m not the captain… I don’t make those decisions,” said the batsman.

Another deciding factor for Cummins will be the state of the SCG pitch following three days of rain interruptions.

The frequent rain and covering of the wicket has prevented the pitch from drying out and deteriorating from wear and tear for the benefit of Australia’s two selected spinners, Nathan Lyon and Ashton Agar.

Australia have gone into the match with only two selected front-line pacemen – Josh Hazlewood and Cummins — making their task even more difficult if the pitch is not as conducive to spin as the hosts had hoped.

Australia are pushing for a series whitewash to seal a place in the World Test Championship final in London in June.

“Time is the enemy. A result is very unlikely, let’s be honest, but it’s still possible,” Khawaja said.

South Africa are naturally not as concerned about the weather as they try to avoid the ignominy of a 3-0 drubbing.

The forecast is for improved conditions on Saturday with less rain expected, before sunny conditions on Sunday’s final day.

Australia are 2-0 up in the series after winning the opening Test by a six-wicket rout in Brisbane inside two days and then hammering the Proteas by an innings and 182 runs in Melbourne.

READ: Shan Masood named Pakistan’s vice-captain for New Zealand ODIs

MELBOURNE: Pakistan-born Australian Cricketer Usman Khuwaja on Monday expressed solidarity with the affectees of the devastating floods in Pakistan and launched a campaign to raise donations for the victims.

Taking to Twitter, Khawaja made an appeal to the people of Australia to donate to the UNICEF efforts in meeting the needs of children and their families affected by the emergency.

“Anyone, who can donate please do. Even a tiny bit of your generosity can make a huge difference,” said Khawaja in a video message shared from his official Twitter account.

“Devastating floods in Pakistan. Over 1300 people have passed away so far. Families lives have changed forever. Many whom will never be able to rebuild again. Please donate if you can. As little or as much as possible. It will make a world of difference” he wrote.

Devastating floods in Pakistan. Over 1300 people have passed away so far. Families lives have changed forever. Many whom will never be able to rebuild again. Please donate if you can. As little or as much as possible. It will make a world of difference 🙏🏾 https://t.co/VMPtjsZLbP pic.twitter.com/I8586wRMay

— Usman Khawaja (@Uz_Khawaja) September 12, 2022

 

Meanwhile, Cricket Australia (CA) also joined the Khawaja’s efforts to raise donations for flood affectees and urged its followers to contribute to the UNICEF relief activities.

“It’s been devastating to see the effects of torrential rains in Pakistan, with one-third of the country under water and more than 33 million people affected,” tweeted CA.

It's been devastating to see the effects of torrential rains in Pakistan, with one-third of the country under water and more than 33 million people affected.

If you can, please consider donating at https://t.co/0dOFFQU4sf@unicefaustralia | @Uz_Khawaja pic.twitter.com/CRAN4hV1Oi

— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) September 12, 2022

UNICEF teams have been working on the ground in the flood-hit areas of Pakistan to deliver urgently needed medicine, vaccines, water and sanitation supplies.

Reportedly, 33 million people have been affected after massive floods in the country with more than half a million being displaced. About 1,400 people, one-third of whom are children, have lost their lives so far.