Usman Khawaja. (Image: X/ANI)
Australian opening batter Usman Khawaja was seen training with an unique set of shoes, a couple of days before the very first Test versus Pakistan at Perth. There was absolutely nothing unique in the shoes in regards to quality or looks. The shoes had ‘All Lives Are Equal’ message composed on them. Australia’s photojournalists zoomed into the shoes and clicked the pictures which went viral on web. Usman was set to play the very first Test using them, triggering a substantial outcry in his nation and on social networks.
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The viewpoints were divided on Khawaja’s act of making a ‘political’ declaration of sorts. Some mocked the choice, stating that such messaging has no location in sport, that individual viewpoints must be kept outside the cricket field. At the very same time, others felt that Khawaja was not stating something questionable however requiring remediation of peace in war-torned Palestine as the war versus Israel continues.
After some days of heavy conversation, Cricket Australia (CA) sent out a release to the media, plainly mentioning that Khawaja would be stopped from taking the field on Day 1 of the Test if he brings any political messaging to the ground.
Journalism release stated, “We support the right of our gamers to reveal individual viewpoints. The ICC has guidelines in location which forbid the screen of individual messages which we anticipate the gamers to support.”
Appears like CA anticipates Usman Khawaja to avoid using the shoes. #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/7y3GPkEWGW– Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) December 13, 2023
Pat Cummins, Australia captain, then came out in the pre-match interview and stated that Khawaja will not be using those shoes in the Test match, putting an end to the entire dispute.
Why Khawaja has been asked to not use the shoes with political messaging?
Khawaja or any other cricketer can not go into the playing field with anything political message. In 2014, England’s Moeen Ali had actually played a Test match with ‘Save Gaza’ composed on his wrist prohibited and was informed to take it out consequently by International Cricket Council (ICC).
The ICC has a rigorous guideline in location in concerns to clothes and devices. According to ICC’s guidelines: “Any clothes or devices that does not adhere to these policies is strictly restricted. in specific, no logo design will be allowed to be shown on cricket clothes or cricket devices, aside from a nationwide logo design, a business logo design, an occasion logo design, a maker’s.”
“In addition, where any match authorities ends up being mindful of any clothes or devices that does not adhere to these policies, he will be authorised to avoid the upseting individual from taking the field of play (or to purchase them from the field of play, if proper) up until the non-compliant clothes or devices is eliminated or properly covered.”
The very first Test is being officiated by India’s Javagal Srinath. If Khawaja had actually tried to have fun with the ‘political message’ shoes, Srinath had every right to stop him from taking the field as he would be making sure the ICC guidelines are not had fun with.
It should likewise be discussed that Indian cricket group played with camouflage caps as a mark of homage to the Pulwama attack martyrs. ESPNcricinfo reports that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had actually approached ICC to take approval to have fun with the ‘unique caps’ in the Ranchi ODI in 2019.
In 2023 World Cup, a debate emerged when Mohammad Rizwan devoted his match-winning knock vs Sri Lanka to ‘bros and siblings in Gaza’ on social networks. Other Pakistan gamers too had actually published social networks posts supporting Gaza amidst the war vs Israel. ICC had no problems with it as all of this was done outside the field on the individual accounts of the cricketers.