Usman Khawaja clarified that the black armband worn during the Perth Test was a mark of personal grief, not political, despite facing an ICC reprimand.
Usman Khawaja clarified wearing the black armband during the Perth Test, initially thought to be related to politics, was a mark of personal grief. However, the ICC reprimanded him for it, misunderstanding its intent. Khawaja aimed to display solidarity with Palestine by inscribing messages, ‘Freedom is a human right’ and ‘All lives are equal,’ on his shoes but was restricted by ICC regulations.
READ MORE | Usman Khawaja’s Statement: Black Armband Worn as Tribute Amidst Slogan Dispute
Despite the reprimand, Khawaja emphasized that the armband was in memory of a personal loss, vowing not to wear it again.
“I’m not wearing the armband again. As I said to the ICC, the armband was for a personal bereavement. My shoes were very obvious and I didn’t wear the shoes, I taped them up and left it at that,” said Khawaja as quoted by Cricbuzz.
“I’m going to be totally honest. The conversations I’ve had with Nick and Cricket Australia have been great, very supportive. Dealing with the ICC, I don’t think being reprimanded for wearing a black armband, they asked me on day two what it was for, and told them it was for a personal bereavement. I never ever stated it was for anything else,” he added.
The cricketer, originally from Pakistan, openly spoke about ending the Gaza Strip conflict, referencing the high casualties in the Gaza-Israel struggle. He questioned the ICC’s actions, highlighting instances where players displayed personal messages without ICC approval. The inconsistency in ICC rulings was evident, allowing the West Indies ‘Black Lives Matter’ logos but banning England’s Moeen Ali for ‘Save Gaza’ and ‘Free Palestine’ wristbands in 2014.
READ MORE | Usman Khawaja Vows to Defend Gaza Message on Cricket Shoes Despite ICC Ban
Last Updated on December 22, 2023
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