"I love Australia, but I never forget where I came from" - Usman Khawaja
Veteran Australian opener Usman Khawaja recently stated that he has never forgotten his Pakistani roots despite the fact the hasn't played for the country of his birth. Khawaja said his Test hundred in Karachi last year was unforgettable, given how his father used to talk about watching matches at the venue.
Born in Islamabad, the left-handed batter and his family later moved to Australia. Khawaja made his international cricket debut in 2011, representing the country Down Under.
The veteran has tasted success in both ODI and Test cricket, and is currently one of the most prolific openers in the red-ball format.
Speaking to AAP, Khawaja recounted how his father would get nostalgic seeing him play against Pakistan.
"My dad (Tariq), he obviously grew up in Pakistan and supported Pakistan in cricket and would have been about 40 when we emigrated," he said. "I am sure for him there is a bit of nostalgia when I play Pakistan. There certainly was nostalgia when I was in Pakistan (in 2022) because growing up, I used to hear my dad talk about going to watch cricket games in Karachi at the stadium."
The 36-year-old further revealed that his father looked up to the likes of Javed Miandad and Zaheer Abbas growing up.
"So me getting a Test hundred in Karachi, that was really special," he said. "That meant a lot. I love Australia, but I never forget where I came from. Some of my dad's heroes were Pakistani cricketers. He talks a lot about Javed Miandad, probably his favourite batsman, and Zaheer Abbas."
Australia toured Pakistan for the first time in over a decade in 2022, and registered a historic series win. Khawaja secured the Player of the Series award for his 496 runs in 3 Tests, averaging well over 100.
"It will be tough" - Usman Khawaja on the upcoming series against Pakistan
Ahead of the upcoming three-Test series against Pakistan, Usman Khawaja said it will be interesting to see how the visitors bat in the Australian conditions.
"It will be tough. People always want to discard Pakistan but that bowling attack is tough work," Khawaja said. "Shaheen Shah Afridi is a world class bowler opening up. Then you have Hasan Ali who has been a stalwart for them for a long time and is very skilful. Faheem Ashraf is coming down here too and they have got a lot of spinners. The biggest thing for Pakistan is whether their batting can hold up in our conditions."
The 1st Test begins on December 14 in Perth.