SYDNEY (AP) — Australia batter Usman Khawaja has been reprimanded by the Worldwide Cricket Council for sporting a black armband in help of Palestinians in Gaza throughout the first cricket check towards Pakistan.
ICC laws forestall cricketers from displaying messages of political, spiritual or racial causes throughout worldwide matches.
Khawaja was born in Pakistan and is the primary Muslim to play check cricket for Australia.
An ICC spokesperson confirmed the cost in breach of the clothes and gear laws to Australian media.
“Usman displayed a private message (armband) throughout the first check match towards Pakistan with out in search of the prior approval of Cricket Australia and the ICC to show it, as required within the laws for private messages,” it stated. “This can be a breach beneath the class of an ‘different breach’ and the sanction for a primary offense is a reprimand.”
The cost means Khawaja can settle for a warning and proceed to play. Nevertheless, he faces further sanctions if he wears the armband once more within the second check towards Pakistan starting subsequent Tuesday in Melbourne.
On Friday throughout coaching on the Melbourne Cricket Floor, Khawaja stated the black armband was for a “private bereavement.” The Australian opener stated he’ll contest the cost however is not going to put on the armband throughout the Melbourne check.
“I respect what the ICC (says) and the foundations and laws they’ve,” Khawaja stated. “I will probably be asking them and contesting they make it truthful and equitable for everybody they usually have consistency in how they officiate. That consistency hasn’t been carried out but.”
The 37-year-old Khawaja had worn footwear with the slogans “freedom is a human proper” and “all lives are equal” at coaching within the days earlier than the primary check in Perth, with the writing in pink, inexperienced and black — the colours of the Palestinian flag.
On Friday, Khawaja obtained help from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who stated the “all lives are equal” message was uncontroversial and never supposed as a political assertion.
“I feel Usman Khawaja is a superb Australian cricketer and that the place that he put ahead is . . . fairly uncontroversial, one which ‘all lives are equal’ is a sentiment that I feel is uncontroversial,” Albanese stated. “Usman Khawaja made his place clear, which is he didn’t see it as a political assertion.”
Australia received the primary check by 360 runs inside 4 days. The third check is scheduled to start Jan. 3 on the Sydney Cricket Floor.
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