How Usman Khawaja's Impact Extends Beyond Cricket: Inspiring Change and Diversity

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The 39-year-old will farewell fans at the Sydney Cricket Ground from Sunday, bringing down the curtain on an international career spanning 88 Tests, during which he finished as Australia’s 15th-highest run-scorer with 6,206 runs (so far).

“This game humbles you. It tests your patience, your resilience and your character, and if you’re lucky, it teaches you gratitude, even on days that don’t go your way,” said Khawaja as he announced his retirement on Friday morning.

Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg congratulated Khawaja for his “huge contribution” to Australian cricket.

Usman Khawaja has been a cornerstone for Australia’s cricket team, particularly as a dependable opening batsman. His remarkable performance was recognized when he was named the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year, coinciding with Australia’s victory in the World Test Championship.

A man is laughing during a press conference.

The seasoned Australian cricketer has decided to retire from international cricket, marking the end of an era. His career has not only been defined by his achievements on the field but also by his influential role in the broader context of Australian sports.

Khawaja’s cricket journey began with his first-class debut for New South Wales in 2008. Throughout his career, he faced numerous challenges, including injuries and time away from his home state. Despite these hurdles, he consistently demonstrated resilience and determination.

Born in Pakistan, Khawaja moved to Australia with his family at the age of five. He went on to become the first Pakistani-born Australian and first Muslim to play for Australia in the 2011 Sydney Ashes Test.

“I’m a proud Muslim coloured boy from Pakistan who was told that he would never play for the Australian cricket team,” he told reporters on Friday. “Look at me now.”

At 39, Khawaja will become the oldest Australian Test player to take the field in four decades during the match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.

A man wearing a blue full-sleeve t-shirt and a pink cap.

His career is marked by his ability to seize opportunities, exemplified by his impressive return to the Test team in 2021. This chance came when Travis Head contracted COVID-19, opening the door for Khawaja to make a significant comeback.

Yet he seized every opportunity to make an impact. That included a remarkable return to the Test side in 2021, when rival Travis Head was sidelined after contracting COVID-19, allowing Khawaja to reclaim his place in the team.

Khawaja’s success on the international stage, combined with his charismatic personality, has inspired many within the Pakistani Australian community.

“Usman was not only a dependable and elegant batter, but also a symbol of resilience, inclusion and leadership,” head of Sydney-based Pacers Cricket Academy Sohail Shah told SBS Urdu.

Shah said Khawaja had inspired countless other cricketers by proving that “belief, patience and character” matter “just as much as talent”.

Investing in cricket youth

In 2018, Khawaja launched the non-profit Usman Khawaja Foundation to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in pursuing their passion for cricket.

It runs free introductory cricket programs for primary school-aged children from “non-traditional cricketing communities” in NSW and Queensland, according to the foundation’s website.

Herman Lotey, program coordinator at Usman Khawaja Foundation, said Khawaja has made “great positive impacts” on many Australian families.

“A lot of these families haven’t played cricket, they haven’t played sports before, just purely because of the cost of participating in programs,” he told SBS News.

“To get that opportunity to play in a free sporting program, that’s made a positive impact on them. That’s connected them with the local cricket club or association, and they can continue to pursue that as well in the future.”

A man wearing a blue zipper is signing autographs for young children.

In 2018, Usman Khawaja launched a non-profit to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in pursuing their passion for cricket. Source: AAP / James Ross

“And hopefully, we would see more players like Usman represent our country that reflects the multicultural society that we have,” Lotey said.

Reflecting on his career, Khawaja said he hoped he had inspired many children to fall in love with cricket.

“I hope I’ve inspired many children along the way, particularly those who feel that they are different, those who feel that they don’t belong, or those [who] others tell that they will never make it,” he said.

“I felt all these things growing up and trying to be an Australian cricketer. But seeing is believing. And I’m here to tell you that you can do whatever you want.”

Outspoken on Gaza

Khawaja has also used his profile to advocate for humanitarian causes, including speaking about the civilian death toll in Gaza after the Hamas-Israel conflict escalated in 2023.

On multiple occasions, he planned to play Test matches while wearing symbols and slogans that he said were a plea for human rights to be respected in Gaza.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) repeatedly denied such requests, citing its code of conduct, and reprimanded him for wearing a black armband while playing a Test in Perth in December 2023.

In response, Khawaja accused the ICC of double standards in how they enforced regulations around what players wore.

“I think enough is enough,” said Khawaja in an interview with SBS News in August.

The batter was in Parliament House in Canberra at the time, as he joined calls for sanctions on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and pausing trade with Israel until it reversed a blockade on humanitarian aid entering Gaza.

“Khawaja has been unravelling his stance on Gaza, speaking out of Israeli killing of civilians, the dehumanisation of Palestinians, and the moral and silence of institutions,” Zia Ahmed, editor-in-chief of Muslim Australian Times, told SBS Urdu.

Ahmed said Khawaja will be remembered as more than a cricketer.

“Thank you for the runs, and thank you for the courage.”

This story was produced in collaboration with SBS Urdu.