Usman Khawaja forced to peel off banned dove sticker from his bat during second innings of Wellington Test
Published - 02 Mar 2024, 11:44 AM | Updated - 02 Mar 2024, 03:04 PM
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Australia star Usman Khawaja was forced to remove a banned dove sticker from his bat while batting in the second innings of the ongoing first Test against New Zealand in Wellington.
On Saturday (March 2) which was day three of the Test, Usman Khawaja cracked his bat and asked for a replacement. Substitute Matthew Renshaw came in with several bats before the Australia opener picked the bat that had a logo of a dove holding an olive branch. However, the left-handed batsman was not allowed to resume his innings with the logo and he had to take it off.
This is not the first time that Usman Khawaja has hogged the limelight for trying to display a human rights logo on the field. In December last year, he was involved in a row with the ICC when he tried to show his support for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza by displaying the same dove logo. The ICC deemed it a ‘political protest’
The ICC barred him from displaying the logo on the field although Usman Khawaja has continued using the sticker while training in the nets. Before that, the ICC also stopped him from wearing shoes displaying the message “all lives are equal” and “freedom is a human right”.
“We really support Uzzy, I think he’s standing up for what he believes and I think he’s doing it really respectfully. All lives are equal and I don’t think that’s very offensive, and I’d say the same about the dove,” Australia captain Pat Cummins said at that time.
“That’s Uzzy. He can hold his head high the way he’s gone about it, but there’s rules in place, so I believe the ICC have said they’re not going to approve that. They make up the rules and you’ve got to accept it,” he added.
Usman Khawaja in Wellington Test:
Talking about Usman Khawaja’s performance in the ongoing Wellington Test, the southpaw got starts in both innings but failed to capitalize on them. In the first innings, he scored 33 before being bowled by a brilliant Matt Henry delivery. In the second innings, he was stumped for 28.
Meanwhile, Australia have set New Zealand a target of 369 runs. Australia were bowled out for 164 runs in the second innings. Glenn Phillips picked up 5 wickets for New Zealand in the second innings. In reply, New Zealand were on 59 for 2 at the time of writing this report. Earlier in the game, Australia scored 383 runs before bowling out New Zealand for 179 in the first innings.
