Melbourne, Australia

ICC reprimanded Usman Khawaja for donning a black armband during the first Test against Pakistan in Perth. Although Khawaja admitted he respects ICC’s decision and will not wear it again during the remainder of the Test series, the veteran batter still wants to challenge the charge against him.

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Speaking to the media on Friday, Khawaja said when ICC approached him on reasons behind wearing the black armband, he said it was for personal bereavement without uttering anything on the ongoing Israel vs Gaza. 

“The ICC asked me on day two (of the Perth Test) what (the black armband) was for; I told them it was for a personal bereavement. I never ever stated it was for anything else,” Khawaja told reporters on Friday. 

“I respect the ICC and all the regulations they have, I will be asking them and contesting them… From my point of view, that consistency hasn’t been done yet. The shoes were for a different matter, I’m happy to say that, but the armband (reprimand) made no sense to me,” Khawaja added.

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Meanwhile, per latest reports, Khawaja had planned to wear batting spikes with the slogans ‘all lives are equal’ and ‘freedom is a human right’ stitched on them for the first Test. That was believed to be in his support for the Palestinians in Gaza.

After he displayed those messages during a training session before the Perth Test, Cricket Australia and the ICC warned him against doing so during the first game, as it breaches ICC’s guidelines and gives out a political message.

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The Aussie opening batter discarded that idea and instead wore black armbands during the first Test.

No agenda other than expressing my views

“I followed all the regulations and past precedents – guys have put stickers on their bats, names on their shoes, done all sorts of things in the past without ICC approval and never been reprimanded,” Khawaja added.

“I don’t have any agendas other than trying to shine a light on what I feel really passionately, really strong about. I’m trying to do it in the most respectful way as possible,” said Khawaja about the messages he planned to sport on his shoes.

Meanwhile, Australia won the first Test against Pakistan by 360 runs. 

The MCG in Melbourne will host the second Test starting on Boxing Day (Dec 26).