Khawaja faces potential sanction by the ICC over 'unauthorized' black armband during Perth Test - Reports
Australian batter Usman Khawaja's tussle with the International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to continue, with the cricketing governing body far from pleased with the player's antics in the first Test against Pakistan in Perth.
The veteran opener wore a black armband as part of his 'all lives are equal' message amid the ongoing conflict in Palestine. Khawaja initially planned to play with customized shoes sporting the messages “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal”, but received a stern warning from the ICC against doing so. He eventually ended up placing black tape over the messages on his shoes.
However, as it turns out, any addition to cricketing gear, including an armband has to be authorized by the home cricket board as well as the ICC before it can make it to the ground. Khawaja, having not sought permission, is now staring at a punishment according to a report by News Corp.
The sanction is expected to come only in the form of a reprimand, but it will be interesting to see if Khawaja continues to sport the armband even after the ICC's intervention.
Australia are scheduled to play the second Test against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from December 26 onwards.
"I will respect their view and decision but I will fight it and seek to gain approval" - Usman Khawaja after the ICC prohibited him from displaying political messages on his gear
Usman Khawaja's shoes with the message for Gaza were initially seen in training, and it was skipper Pat Cummins who first stated that the batter would not be wearing the shoes in the first Test.
Khawaja later clarified the situation through a video on social media, where he claimed that he was warned by the ICC.
“The ICC have told me that I can’t wear my shoes on field, because they believe it’s a political statement under their guidelines. I don’t believe it is,” he said. “I will respect their view and decision but I will fight it and seek to gain approval.”
A similar result may be witnessed with the armband as well following ICC's intervention. Black armbands are a common sight in cricket in the case of a former cricketer or a prominent personality passing away. However, in this case, with the primary agenda behind it being a political one, the ICC is unlikely to allow it.
Former Zimbabwe cricketers Henry Olonga and Andy Flower famously wore black armbands during the 2003 World Cup to mourn the death of the government in their nation. It was done without approval, and they were warned by the ICC regarding the same but were not charged with an offense.
What do you make of ICC's stance of not letting Khawaja wear the black armband? Let us know what you think.