Australia opener Usman Khawaja was pressured to take away a banned dove sticker from a substitute bat in the course of the second innings in opposition to New Zealand within the Wellington Take a look at on Monday.
Batting on day three after Australia had a 217-run lead in a single day, Khawaja was pressured to name in for a substitute tools within the opening session after cracking his bat. Substitute Matthew Renshaw got here in with just a few choices earlier than Khawaja settled on a bat that sported a dove emblem with an olive department – a sticker that acquired him in a row with the Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC) and finally restricted from displaying on his gear.
In December 2023, Khawaja’s request to request to put on the dove sticker was struck down by the ICC forward of the Boxing Day Take a look at in opposition to Pakistan. The brand acts as a logo to lift consciousness for the humanitarian disaster in Gaza. Nevertheless, the ICC deemed it a “political protest” throughout worldwide fixtures.
Earlier in that sequence in Perth, Khawaja was additionally barred from sporting footwear displaying the message “all lives are equal” and “freedom is a human proper”. Khawaja was additionally reprimanded for utilizing a black armband in the course of the match even because the 37-year-old had acknowledged that it was used for a “private bereavement.”
Whereas Khawaja has used the dove sticker on his bats throughout coaching, the left-hander additionally criticized the ICC’s double-standards earlier than the Boxing Day Take a look at as he posted photos of cricketers donning spiritual stickers on their bats, together with teammate Marnus Labuschagne’s bat which dons biblical verses.
The opening batter discovered assist from his captain Pat Cummins and Cricket Australia chief Nick Hockley. “We actually assist Uzzy, I believe he’s standing up for what he believes and I believe he’s doing it actually respectfully. All lives are equal and I don’t suppose that’s very offensive, and I’d say the identical in regards to the dove.
“That’s Uzzy. He can maintain his head excessive the best way he’s gone about it, however there’s guidelines in place, so I imagine the ICC have mentioned they’re not going to approve that. They make up the foundations and also you’ve acquired to just accept it,” mentioned Cummins.
Khawaja finally fell stumped on 28 as Australia had been bowled out for 168 within the second innings after setting a frightening 369-run goal for the Kiwis.