Usman Khawaja, the opener for Australia, was found to have violated ICC (International Cricket Council) rules by wearing black armbands without permission during the first Test match between Australia and Pakistan in Perth.
Notably, in an effort to draw attention to the humanitarian situation in Gaza, the 37-year-old was previously scheduled to wear shoes bearing the phrases “freedom is a human right” and “all lives are equal.”
Nevertheless, he changed his mind after Cricket Australia (CA) intervened, as the ICC forbids players from wearing political apparel. The Australian batter chose to support the cause by donning black armbands instead, but even that hasn’t been well received by the ICC.
Usman Khawaja gets charged:
Notably, black armbands are frequently worn to honour the memories of departed players, loved ones, or other noteworthy people on the cricket pitch. Khawaja, however, was unable to obtain the board’s and the ICC’s prior consent, which is required for players to wear them. He has thus been accused of violating Clause F of the Clothing and Equipment Regulations, though the exact penalty is still pending.
According to a statement from the ICC that ESPNCricinfo cited, “Usman Khawaja faces charges for violating the Clothing and Equipment Regulations, specifically Clause F. Usman broke the rules regarding personal messages by wearing an armband during the first Test Match against Pakistan without first getting permission from Cricket Australia or the International Cricket Council (ICC). This falls under the category of an “other breach,” and the punishment for a first offence is a reprimand.”
The ICC’s clothing and equipment regulations state: “Players and team officials shall not be permitted to wear, display, or otherwise convey personal messages on their clothing, equipment, or otherwise unless approved in advance by both the player’s or team official’s board and the ICC Cricket Operations Department. This applies whether or not such messages are affixed to clothing, equipment, or otherwise, and whether or not such messages are displayed or conveyed through the use of the specific clothing or other items (e.g., an armband). Messages pertaining to political, religious, or racial issues or activities will not be approved.”
Cricketer drops statement:
Regretfully, ICC regulations prevented him from displaying these messages during the Perth game. He had declared that he had given the ICC an explanation of the true purpose behind the armband. The Australia opener received a rebuke from the ICC for donning the armband during Australia’s historic 360-run triumph over Pakistan in Perth.
According to Khawaja, who was quoted by Cricbuzz, “I will not be reusing the armband. The armband was for a personal loss, as I stated to the ICC. My shoes were very obvious, and I didn’t wear the shoes, I taped them up and left them at that.”
He continued, “Let me be completely honest. My discussions with Nick and Cricket Australia have been excellent and very encouraging. When I told them it was for a personal bereavement on day two, the ICC asked me why I had worn a black armband, so I don’t think I was reprimanded for it. I never once said it was for anything else.”
Usman Khawaja takes a stand:
The outspoken cricket player from Pakistan had called for an end to the crisis in the Gaza Strip, citing the nearly 20,000 people who had died in the ongoing fighting between Israel and Gaza. The 37-year-old questioned the ICC’s selective actions by highlighting previous incidents in which players displayed personal messages without the organization’s consent. The ICC’s management of political messaging during games has come under scrutiny.
In a 2020 series against England, the West Indies team was allowed to wear ‘Black Lives Matter’ shirts, but England’s Moeen Ali was banned for wearing wristbands that read ‘Save Gaza’ and ‘Free Palestine’ in a 2014 home Test match against India. This disparity in ICC approvals for political expressions on the field is still a contentious matter, igniting debates about how to strike a balance between individual advocacy and following cricket’s rules.
So, this was all about the cricketer Usman Khawaja. Also read, MS Dhoni’s heartwarming response to RCB team fan
