Retiring Khawaja criticises ‘racial stereotypes’

Usman Khawaja, the Australian batsman, announced his retirement from international cricket, saying he is still struggling with “racial stereotypes.”

The 39-year-old will play his 88th Test in Sydney’s Ashes finale against England on Sunday (23:30 GMT, Saturday), returning to the ground where he made his debut against the same opponents in 2011.

When Ricky Ponting was replaced by Khawaja at the conclusion of England’s 3-1 series win, he became the first Muslim to play for Australia.

He told a proud Muslim boy from Pakistan that he would never play for the Australian cricket team. “Now, look at me.”

Khawaja claimed that because he is “treated differently,” he was criticized the day before the first Test, which he had played golf the day before the first Test and later suffered back spasms in Perth.

He claimed that he could have gotten it for two days, but I got it for five days straight because of the media and the former players’ attacks.

“He’s not committed to the team,” “he was only concerned about himself,” “he played this golf comp the day before,” “he’s selfish,” “he doesn’t train hard enough,” “he didn’t train the day before the game,” and “he’s lazy,” was how everyone addressed my preparation.

I’ve spent my entire life with the stereotypes that I’ve always had as racial stereotypes.

In the same seven-minute response to a question, Khawaja said, “I can give you a countless number of guys who have been injured playing golf the day before and you guys haven’t said a word.”

“I can give you even more guys who had 15 beers the night before, got hurt, and nobody spoke to them.” They’re just being lads, that’s all, they’re just being Aussie larrikins.

Everyone criticized my credibility and who I am as a person when I get hurt. You typically feel sorry for a person who has been injured. They both have injuries, including Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood.

That was the situation I’ve been dealing with the most, and I’ve been dealing with it for a while. Although I don’t talk much about it, I felt the need to do so right now.

When he was five, Khawaja’s family moved from Pakistan to Australia. He claimed in 2020 that he thought the stereotype of him as “lazy” had grown due to his background.

The International Cricket Council charged him in 2023 with supporting the people of Gaza by wearing a black armband during Australia’s first test match against Pakistan.

Khawaja said on Thursday, “I call myself the people’s champ because I speak about issues that other people don’t want to discuss. Not because I believe everyone loves me.”

“I am aware of why I frequently get nailed.” I am aware of my discussion of issues that haven’t been resolved by many people who don’t enjoy cricket.

People will say “Uzzie’s here, he’s playing the race card again,” I know I’m here talking about topics. Don’t belittle me. We witness it all the time, but we don’t talk about it.

“I didn’t want to talk about this, but I just want the next Usman Khawaja to have a different journey.”

Khawaja won two Ashes matches, lost two, and drew two. Additionally, he was a member of Australia’s squad that captured the 2023 World Test Championship.

In his final Test, he needs 30 runs to surpass Mike Hussey and surpass the great Donald Bradman in 13th place on Australia’s all-time run-scorers list.

Khawaja won his final of his 40 one-day international matches in 2019 by posting a 42-run total of 1, 554 runs. He scored 241 runs in a total of 26.77 against nine T20 internationals.

Khawaja will end his international career with a home ground where he played for New South Wales when he first played professional cricket for Queensland in 2008. He intends to play domestic cricket all the way through.

He frequently made and broke up the Australia Test team, but in the 2021 and 2022 Ashes, he found a place at the top of the order.

Travis Head was replaced in the second innings by Khawaja in the Perth Test match. Australia won by eight wickets after Head’s swashbuckling century.

Due to a back issue, Khawaja was scheduled to miss the third Test, but Steve Smith’s illness caused her to miss the second one.

Khawaja won the fourth Test against 82 and 40 in Adelaide.

Australia won’t play another Test until August after the Ashes.

I made an extraordinary effort to join the Australian cricket team at the age of 25. Even though I didn’t drink, I was trying to dress like the rest of the boys and going out to clubs, Khawaja said.

I attempted all of that, but it failed. I would still be expelled from the Australian cricket team.

“I get it, not John Smith,” I say. They simply don’t go my way when the 50-50 calls occur. Why do I make an effort to emulate everyone else?

I’m hoping that the next Usman Khawaja’s journey is a little simpler and that we eventually cross a line, similar to John Smith’s, after generations. That is what I’ve been attempting to promote all along.

“Australian cricket is still very white in many ways, but we’re a much better and more inclusive society than we were before.