Australia PM praises Khawaja for exhibiting braveness amid stand-off with ICC

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has praised Usman Khawaja’s braveness amid his stand-off with the ICC after expressing solidarity with the victims of the battle between Palestine and Israel.

The ICC has barred the Australian opener from displaying messages of equality and freedom, particularly a dove emblem and an olive department on his sneakers, throughout the Test sequence in opposition to Pakistan.

The determination was primarily based on the worldwide regulation that prohibits gamers from showcasing private messages on their uniforms. But his act has received him an admirer within the nation’s premier, who touched upon Khawaja’s gesture throughout an deal with to the Australian and Pakistan groups forward of the Sydney Test.

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“I’d like to congratulate (Khawaja) for the courage he has shown standing up for human values,” Albanese mentioned.

“He has shown courage, and the fact that the team has backed him in is a great thing.” “When Ussie and Dave (David Warner) go out, it will be a very special moment, when you walk on to the SCG,” Albanese added.

The SCG Test will mark the final time Khawaja and Warner might be strolling out collectively to open the innings with the latter retiring from the standard format after the match starting on Wednesday.

Last week, Australian captain Pat Cummins had are available in help of his teammate, saying the opener’s try to carry to the fore the humanitarian disaster in Gaza was “not offensive.” Cricket’s international governing physique, the ICC, had rejected Khawaja’s software to have a sticker exhibiting a black dove holding an olive department on his bat and sneakers throughout the Boxing Day Test in opposition to Pakistan.

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“We really support Uzzy. He’s standing up for what he believes and I think he’s done it really respectfully,” Cummins had mentioned on the eve of the second Test on the MCG, which Australia received to wrap up the sequence.

“As I said last week, ‘All lives are equal’, I don’t think that’s very offensive and I’d say the same about the dove,” Cummins had mentioned.

Notably, the ICC reprimanded Khawaja for sporting a black armband throughout Australia’s 360-run win over Pakistan in Perth, the motion coming after he was barred from sporting boots with the messages “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal” within the colors of the Palestinian flag throughout the match on the Optus Stadium.