The ICC dismissed Usman Khawaja’s attempt to show support for Palestine victims in the upcoming Boxing Day Test against Pakistan, rejecting his symbolic gesture of a black dove with an olive branch.
Usman Khawaja has once more stirred controversy as the ICC rejected his latest effort to show support for Palestine victims by displaying a black dove with an olive branch on his shoe and bat before the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan. Initially planning slogans on shoes for equality and freedom, the ICC barred it. Despite Khawaja’s black armband, supposedly for personal bereavement, the ICC reprimanded him.
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The incident adds to the ongoing debate about athletes expressing social or political messages on the field, raising questions about the boundaries of such gestures in international cricket.
The dove sticker Usman Khawaja has been denied permission to wear during Boxing Day Test @7NewsMelbourne @7Cricket pic.twitter.com/aIlu7f1j6y
— Andrew McCormack (@_AMcCormack7) December 24, 2023
The tiny dove on the back of Usman Khawaja’s bat at Australian training at the MCG today as the opener’s battle with the ICC rolls on.https://t.co/x1JgC2IUyQ pic.twitter.com/KOgAWxueg4
— Daniel Cherny (@DanielCherny) December 24, 2023
Amidst the controversy, Usman Khawaja had sought approval for the black dove logo from Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association, which they cleared. However, the ICC rejected it on Sunday morning, prompting no comments yet from either side. Khawaja earlier highlighted the ICC’s inconsistency in addressing similar incidents, mentioning other cricketers not reprimanded for bat stickers. Although he respects the ICC’s rules, he hopes for fair treatment in the future, refraining from commenting on the recent turn of events. Both Khawaja and the ICC are yet to address the latest developments.
READ MORE | Usman Khawaja Vows to Defend Gaza Message on Cricket Shoes Despite ICC Ban
Last Updated on December 24, 2023
