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veteran Australia batter Usman Khawaja It was announced that he will retire from international cricket after the fifth Ashes Test starting at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.
He didn’t go quietly.
Khawaja, who was born in Pakistan, was the first Muslim The Australian player used his retirement announcement on Friday to criticize the “racial” stereotypes he experienced during his career.
This will be the 39-year-old Khawaja’s 88th and final Test – at the ground where he began his first-class career. In 2018, Khawaja scored his first Ashes hundred at the SCG with a score of 171 against England.
It was also at the SCG that he revived his career at the age of 35, scoring two hundred-percent goals against England. This sparked one of the great late-career revivals, with Khawaja hitting seven centuries in the next two years of his return to the side.
But Khawaja’s position has come under scrutiny and criticism this season after he was unable to start in the first Ashes Test. Perth Missed the Brisbane Test due to back spasms and then injury.
He was then initially ruled out in Adelaide until Steve Smith’s stunner saw Khawaja return and a first-innings knock of 82 ensured he stayed in Melbourne for the fourth Test. Australia leads 3-1 heading into the fifth Test and has successfully defended its Ashes Cup title.
Khawaja said he felt he was treated “a little bit differently, even now” because he Pakistan and Muslim background.
“I was treated differently and the way things happened was different,” he told a media conference in Sydney. “I had back spasms, which I couldn’t control. The media and past players came out to attack me… I lived with it for five days straight. Everybody was swarming.
“As soon as the racial stereotypes came up, I became lazy and that’s what I’ve dealt with my whole life. Pakistan, West Indies, colored players… we were selfish, we only cared about ourselves, we didn’t care about the team, we didn’t train hard enough.”
Khawaja was criticized in the days leading up to the Perth game for playing golf twice and not taking part in optional training. Some commentators believe golf may have contributed to his back problems.
“I could give you countless players who played golf the day before the tournament and got injured, but you said nothing,” Khawaja told the gathered media.
“I could give you more examples, some guys have had 15 beers the night before a game and then get injured and no one says a word because they’re just ‘Aussie larrikins’, they’re just lads. But when I got injured everyone was questioning my credibility and who I was as a person.
Khawaja said he knew his career was coming to an end.
“I think going into this series I had a feeling it was going to be the last series,” he said. “I’m glad I can go out on my own terms.”
Khawaja scored 6,206 runs in 87 Tests with 16 centuries and 28 half-centuries at an average of 43.49.
Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg said in a statement: “Usman has achieved outstanding results as one of our most stylish and resilient batsmen… and has made a huge contribution to Australian cricket off the field, particularly through the Usman Khawaja Foundation.”
“Usman has been one of Australia’s most reliable opening batsmen and his success was evidenced by him being named ICC Test Cricketer of the Year in the same season Australia won the World Test Championship (2023).”
Khawaja said his first feeling when announcing his retirement was one of “satisfaction.”
“I’ve been lucky enough to play as many games as I did for Australia,” Khawaja said. “I hope I inspire people along the way.”
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AP Cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
