Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has praised Test opener Usman Khawaja for displaying solidarity with the victims of the ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel in the Middle East.
Khawaja has been in a stand-off with the International Cricket Council (ICC) after being repeatedly denied permission from the the governing body to display message of support towards the victims of the Gaza conflict.
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Ahead of the first Test between Australia and Pakistan, Khawaja had sought permission to write a couple of messages – “all lives are equal and “freedom is a human right” – on his shoes but was denied by the ICC since it breached its code of conduct that bars players from wearing personal messages on official kits.
“I’d like to congratulate (Khawaja) for the courage he has shown standing up for human values. He has shown courage, and the fact that the team has backed him in is a great thing,” PM Albanese said while addressing the Australian and Pakistan Test teams at Kirribilli House during his annual New Year’s Day reception.
Khawaja then wore a black armband instead but was reprimanded by the ICC for breaching clothing and equipment regulations.
The 37-year-old then sought permission to display a dove holding an olive branch on his bat but the ICC rejected this request too.
Khawaja then wrote the names of his daughters on his shoes instead for the 2nd Test in Melbourne.
The third and final Test of the series starts from January 3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) and it will be the last time that Khawaja opens with his childhood friend David Warner who will retire after the contest.
“When Ussie and Dave go out, it will be a very special moment, when you walk on to the SCG,” Albanese said.
Australia have already pocketed the series by winning the first two matches and are hoping for a winning send-off to one of their finest batters.
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