Australia opener Usman Khawaja wore a black armband on Day 1 of the series-opening Test against Pakistan after he wasn't allowed to wear shoes branded with an "all lives are equal" humanitarian message.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) intervened on Wednesday after Khawaja indicated that he planned to wear shoes during the match bearing messages to bring attention to the loss of innocent lives in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The regulations of the ICC for international cricket prohibit any display of political or religious messages on team uniforms or equipment.
Khawaja said that he would abide by the rulings to avoid potential penalties for himself or the team. However, he expressed intentions to challenge the ICC's stance. "Freedom is a human right, and all rights are equal," Khawaja said in a social media post. "I will never stop believing that."
Khawaja, hailing from Pakistan, is Australia's first-ever Muslim Test cricket player. He wore the black armband to display solidarity with the people affected by the conflict in Gaza.
During television interviews before the game, he cited past instances where fellow cricketers were permitted to express support for various causes. “I find it a little bit disappointing they came down hard on me and they don't always come down hard on everyone," he said.
Australia captain Pat Cummins and the nation's federal treasurer, Jim Chalmers had come out in support of Khawaja.
“What was on the shoes — all lives are equal — I support that,” Cummins said. “That's not very divisive. I don't think anyone can really have too many complaints about that.”
Chalmers told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio that the ICC should allow Khawaja to wear the shoes.
“I don't think it's an especially controversial statement and I find it unusual frankly that people want to dispute that," he said. "The lives on one side of a conflict are not worth anymore or any less than the lives on the other side of a conflict.”
With agency inputs