Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, confirmed on Wednesday that during the first Test against Pakistan in Perth starting tomorrow, opener Usman Khawaja won’t wear shoes bearing slogans in support of Palestinians amid the Gaza-Israel conflict.
Khawaja could face ICC sanctions, such as being banned from playing, getting a first-offence reprimand, or a 75% match-fee fine for wearing these shoes.
The slogans “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal” adorned Usman Khawaja shoes during Australia’s training on Tuesday. Despite stating yesterday that he would wear them in the first Test against Pakistan, ICC regulations prohibit such displays without prior approval.
The ICC rules state that messages on clothing or gear are not allowed without clearance from the board or the ICC. Cummins, in his pre-match press conference, mentioned Khawaja’s possible unawareness of these rules. He acknowledged that the message in Khawaja’s shoes wasn’t divisive but stressed the team’s unity in respecting individual opinions.
“I think it is one of our strongest points as a team that everyone has their own passionate views and individual thoughts,” Cummins said.
“I chatted to Uzzy [Usman] briefly about it today, and yeah, I don’t think his intention is to make too much of a fuss, but we support him.”
Despite supporting Khawaja, Cricket Australia reinforced the ICC regulations in a statement, emphasizing that while players have the right to express personal opinions, ICC rules against displaying personal messages must be upheld.
