'Shut up, you...': Usman Khawaja reveals Lord's Long Room racial abuse from Ashes 2023 in autobigraphy 'Sabr'

Former Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja's autobiography Sabr has rocked Cricket Australia, mostly for his revelations about the Sandpapergate scandal of the Newlands 2018 Test. The batter has also shared an instance of racial abuse at the 2023 Lord's Test from MCC members in the Long Room. The incident happened after Jonny Bairstow's controversial dismissal on Day 5 of the Test. Khawaja revealed being called "shut up, you P**i" by one of the members but could not identify him. The MCC, later on, handed down punishment to the members involved in the incident.

Khawaja shares racial abuse incident from Lord's 2023 Test

The whole thing began with Aussie wicketkeeper Alex Carey stumping Bairstow with an underarm throw after the batter, in the mistaken belief that the ball was dead, left his crease. When the two teams went in for lunch shortly after, the Aussies were abused and heckled by the MCC members during their walk through the iconic Long Room at Lord's.

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"It was like a pack of dogs about to feast on their next meal. They were in unison, swearing, calling us 'F-ing this', and 'F-that', 'C-nts this'. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. At first, I just laughed, mostly in shock. Was this the Long Room? Part of the most prestigious, noble cricket club in the world, where the waiting list was over 30 years? Or were we with the Hollies [Edgbaston's notorious party stand]? And no disrespect to the Hollies, because they never treated us like this," Khawaja wrote.

"As we kept walking, I pulled up when someone shouted right into my ear - as there was only a rope and about 20 centimetres between us. 'Don't you dare scream in my ear again, you dickhead,' I said to the first guy. Then as I walked on, and I heard someone else say, 'Shut up, you P**i,' I lost it.

"I don't know who this was exactly. I want to clarify that I know a few people got bans from the MCC. All I know is I confronted the first bloke I saw, who I thought it was. He was still shouting, spitting and screaming in my face, so I could only assume it was him. I told security, 'Get this guy out of here!'" he added.

What happened afterwards?

After the two sides came back for the post-lunch session, England skipper Ben Stokes briefly threatened to take the game away with 155, but Australia eventually won in the end by 43 runs. As for the Long Room drama, the MCC suspended three members for unacceptable behavior after the Test and added more punishment after four months. One of the three members was expelled from the club, while the two others were banned for four and a half years and two and a half years, respectively.