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In January 2011, Usman Khawaja reached a significant milestone in his cricket career when he received his baggy green cap at the fifth and final Ashes Test in Sydney. This moment marked his debut in the Australian Test team, a noteworthy achievement for any cricketer.
Reflecting on his journey, Khawaja, who had spoken to SBS back in 2007 as a teenager, has always been vocal about issues close to his heart. At a press conference discussing his retirement, he courageously addressed the racism he endured during his early years.
“As a proud Muslim and a person of color from Pakistan, I was often told I’d never make it to the Australian cricket team. Yet, here I am,” he expressed, highlighting the challenges he overcame.
Khawaja pointed out the disparity in treatment he faced compared to his white counterparts, suggesting that similar circumstances would have been different for a white player.
In response to such issues, Cricket Australia (CA) launched the ‘Sport for All Program’ in 2015, a move that Skene noted has significantly encouraged participation from Australia’s diverse migrant communities across all levels of the sport.
This month’s Under-19 World Cup squad includes Nitesh Samuel and Aryan Sharma, who have Sri Lankan and Indian backgrounds, respectively. Along with Alana King’s starring role with Australia’s women’s team, they could indicate the multicultural future of cricket is bright.
Australia’s Alana King celebrates the wicket of New Zealand’s Brooke Halliday during the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup cricket match between New Zealand and Australia in 2025. Source: AAP / Rafiq Maqbool/AP
Last year’s Australian Under-17 championships featured 33 players of South Asian heritage — 23 per cent of the total number of players in the state squads.
Khawaja started his own foundation in 2018 to help youth from migrant communities achieve their potential. He has also called for Islamophobia to be condemned, and met with the prime minister last year to campaign for support for Gazans.
Babar Azam donates a team jersey to Usman Khawaja for the Usman Khawaja Foundation during a media opportunity at The Gabba in 2024. Source: Getty / Albert Perez
Khawaja wore shoes during matches with handwritten messages such as “All lives are equal” and “Freedom is a human right”. He also wore a dove symbol on his bat and a black armband in solidarity with the Palestinian people, called for sanctions on Israel, and supported the recognition of Palestinian statehood.
“For one last time to be thankful for what I’ve been given,” he said.
Usman Khawaja kissed the turf after he was dismissed playing his last match during day five of the fifth test in the 2025/26 Ashes series at Sydney Cricket Ground. Source: Getty / Robert Cianflone
The 39-year-old will, in the immediate future, spend more time with his growing family and perhaps play a little more golf. The curtain falling on his playing career has seen him become a little more philosophical than the 18-year-old who once only cared about playing for Australia.
