- Aasiya Niaz
- Yesterday
Retiring Usman Khawaja speaks out against racial stereotypes, Palestine movement
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- Web Desk
- Jan 02, 2026
Veteran Australian batter Usman Khawaja has announced his retirement from international cricket with a powerful message, saying he continues to battle racial stereotypes even at the end of his career. The 39-year-old will play his final Test in the Ashes series finale against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the same venue where he made his Test debut against England in 2011.
Khawaja, who was born in Pakistan and moved to Australia at the age of five, made history by becoming the first Muslim to represent Australia in Test cricket. Over a career spanning 88 Tests, he has scored 6,206 runs at an average of 43.39, placing him among Australia’s most accomplished batters and currently 15th on the country’s all-time Test run-scorers list.
Speaking at an emotional press conference in Sydney attended by his family, Khawaja reflected on both his cricketing journey and the challenges he has faced away from the field. He said that despite progress in Australian society, racial bias remains an issue within elite sport.
“I’m a proud Muslim, coloured boy from Pakistan who was told he would never play for the Australian cricket team,” Khawaja said. “I’ve dealt with these stereotypes my whole life, and I thought we’d moved past them, but clearly we haven’t.”
Khawaja pointed to criticism he received earlier in the current Ashes series after suffering back spasms ahead of the opening Test in Perth. He said his preparation was questioned more harshly than others would have been, with accusations that he was lazy, selfish, and not committed to the team.
According to Khawaja, similar situations involving other players have often been dismissed as harmless or part of cricket culture. He said that when he was injured, the focus shifted to questioning his character rather than showing empathy.
“That was the part that hurt the most,” he said. “When others get injured, there’s sympathy. With me, it became about who I am as a person.”
Khawaja said he felt compelled to speak openly so that future players from diverse backgrounds would not face the same challenges. He acknowledged that his willingness to address issues beyond cricket has sometimes made him a target, but insisted that silence would not bring change.
Throughout his career, Khawaja has been a strong advocate for inclusion and humanitarian causes. In 2023, he drew international attention after being charged by the ICC for wearing a black armband during a Test against Pakistan as a gesture of solidarity with civilians affected by conflict in Gaza. He said in his speech that he realises that by speaking up for the freedom of Palestinian people, he has put himself on the line, but added, “When I say everyone deserves freedom, Palestine deserves freedom, I don’t understand what’s the big issue with that”.
On the field, Khawaja’s career was marked by resilience. He played in six Ashes series, winning two, losing two, and drawing two, and was part of Australia’s World Test Championship-winning side in 2023. Though often in and out of the Test team earlier in his career, he found consistency at the top of the order during the 2021–22 Ashes.
He also represented Australia in 40 one-day internationals and nine T20 internationals, before shifting his focus entirely to the longer format. Khawaja plans to continue playing domestic cricket for Queensland after stepping away from the international stage.
As he prepares for his final Test, Khawaja said his hope is that future generations will be judged solely on performance, not background. “I want the next Usman Khawaja to have an easier journey,” he said. “I want a time when names, faith, or skin colour don’t affect decisions. We’ve made progress, but there’s still work to do.”
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