Retiring veteran batter Usman Khawaja has voiced his concerns about racial stereotypes in Australian cricket, stating that he has been treated differently throughout his career due to his race and religion.
Khawaja, born in Pakistan and the first Muslim to play Test cricket for Australia, announced his international retirement during a 50-minute press conference at the SCG. He expressed his desire to make life easier for “the next Usman Khawaja.”
In his final season, Khawaja mentioned that he continues to face stereotypes, particularly regarding the criticism surrounding his Ashes preparation, which he believes had racial undertones. He addressed the backlash he received for playing three days of golf prior to the Perth Test, where he experienced back spasms that prevented him from opening in both innings.
“I had back spasms, and it was something I couldn’t control. The way the media and the past players came out and attacked me … I could have copped it for two days, but I copped it for about five days straight,” Khawaja stated.
He added, “These are the same racial stereotypes I’ve grown up with my whole life. We obviously haven’t fully moved past them because I’ve never seen anyone treated like that in the Australian cricket team before … not for the uncontrollables the way you guys went at me.”
Khawaja pointed out that he continues to fight these stereotypes daily, which he finds frustrating. “I can give you a countless number of guys who have played golf the day before (a Test) and been injured, and you guys haven’t said a thing,” he noted. “I can give you even more guys who have had 15 schooners the night before and then gotten injured; no one said a word. That’s all right – they’re just being Aussie larrikins, right? They’re just being lads.”
He emphasized his frustration, stating, “But when I got injured, everyone went at my credibility and who I am as a person. So for me, that was the frustrating part.”
Khawaja played a significant role in shaping Cricket Australia’s Multicultural Action Plan, launched in 2023. He acknowledged that cricket in Australia has become more welcoming but noted that challenges still exist.
“There’s still a bit to go, but the sport is definitely in a better spot. There are still challenges. If you look at Australia… It’s such a multicultural community. If you look at the amount of participation we have in cricket, particularly from subcontinental players, we don’t always see that in Australia,” he said.
He also remarked on the difficulty of making the Australian cricket team. “There are 11 spots. It’s not easy, and we don’t want to just gift people spots. There’s still an undertone here and there. There are still challenges to be faced,” he concluded.