Usman Khawaja’s Candid Admission: Struggling with Motivation During Ongoing Conflict

January 2, 2024 0 1244

Usman Khawaja expressed his prolonged lack of motivation, attributing it to the ongoing Israel vs. Hamas conflict, stating he had discussed his struggle with his wife, sports psychologist, and Cricket Australia.

Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja admitted feeling demotivated during the Sheffield Shield cricket matches before the Test season due to his vocal support for Palestine during the Gaza conflict. His actions, including wearing a black armband in solidarity, led to reprimands from the ICC, affecting his mental state. The repercussions from these incidents continued to affect him as he now represents Australia against Pakistan.

The stress and struggle with the ICC’s reaction prompted Khawaja to seek counseling for his mental well-being. Speaking to Fox Cricket, Khawaja emphasized the long-term effect these events had on him and discussed seeking support from his wife, sports psychologist, and Cricket Australia, acknowledging his ongoing battle with motivation.

“I don’t do these things on a whim – this is something that has affected me for a long time. I was playing Sheffield Shield cricket before the Test series and I was really lacking motivation. I talked to my wife Rachel, I talked to our sports psychologist Brent Membrey and Cricket Australia and told them I really am struggling for motivation right now,” Khawaja said.

Earlier, Khawaja also faced ICC restrictions for wearing ‘non-compliant’ shoes before the Pakistan Test but chose to challenge the rules. He expressed feeling that cricket became less important during times of war.

The opener also openly admitted his struggle, citing the impact of witnessing innocent people, particularly children, suffer in war. The emotional toll led him to question the importance of playing cricket amid such grave global situations.