Khawaja retires: 'They told me I'd never play for Aus' — Pak-born batter calls out stereotypes

Usman Khawaja volition locomotion retired astatine the Sydney Cricket Ground 1 last clip this week, bringing the curtain down connected a 15-year planetary vocation that redefined what Australian cricket could look similar — and who it could beryllium to.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The seasoned left-hander confirmed connected Friday that the 5th Ashes Test successful Sydney volition beryllium his past successful the Baggy Green, announcing his determination successful an affectional property league surrounded by his parents, woman Rachel and their 2 children. He informed his teammates lone moments earlier, conscionable earlier Australia's grooming session.

“I'm a arrogant Muslim coloured lad from Pakistan who was told helium would ne'er play for the Australian cricket squad — look astatine maine now,” Khawaja said, summing up a travel that has been arsenic overmuch astir resilience and practice arsenic runs and records.Born successful Islamabad and raised successful Sydney, Khawaja volition discontinue successful the metropolis wherever helium archetypal watched Test cricket from the stands and aboriginal made some his first-class and Test debuts. Now 39, the oldest subordinate of Australia's Test side, helium bows retired aft 88 Tests, with the accidental to overtake Michael Hussey's tally tally and decorativeness wrong Australia's apical 14 men's Test run-scorers.Khawaja told manager Andrew McDonald of his determination aft the 4th Test successful Melbourne, but admitted keeping the concealed had been difficult.

“It's been tough, I've conscionable wanted to archer everyone,” helium said. “I didn't deliberation I'd get emotional, but I teared up straightaway. My travel has been antithetic to a batch of cricketers… each that emotion built up.”That travel was seldom smooth. Despite a promising debut successful the 2010–11 Ashes, Khawaja endured years of being dropped, recalled and dropped again — successful Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, England and astatine location — becoming, by immoderate measures, Australia's astir often discarded Test batter.

At 1 point, his mean sat conscionable supra 25, and his Test aboriginal looked finished.Instead, Khawaja kept returning. His career-defining 2nd enactment began astatine the SCG successful the 2021–22 Ashes, wherever duplicate hundreds reignited his career. From that infinitesimal until now, nary Australian has scored much Test runs. His nine-hour 141 against Pakistan successful Dubai, duplicate tons astatine Sydney, and marathon innings astatine Edgbaston successful 2023 basal arsenic monuments to patience and defiance.Off the field, Khawaja's interaction whitethorn beryllium adjacent greater. As Australia's archetypal Muslim Test cricketer, helium became a powerful, plain-spoken advocator against racism and for amended pathways for players from migrant backgrounds.“I conscionable privation to beryllium remembered arsenic a humble cricketer who went retired determination and entertained,” Khawaja said. On a signifier that erstwhile told him helium didn't belong, Usman Khawaja volition instrumentality his last bow — connected his ain terms.Usman Khawaja's planetary vocation stats (before farewell SCG Test):