MELBOURNE: Australia's Usman Khawaja said Friday that a black armband he wore in the first Test against Pakistan was for a "personal bereavement" and not politically motivated, after the star batter was reprimanded by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The 36-year-old donned the armband during the team's 360-run victory in Perth, a move seen at the time as support for people in Gaza, where thousands have been killed.
He had wanted to wear shoes emblazoned with the hand-written slogans "Freedom is a human right" and "All lives are equal" during the match, saying he had been hit hard by the Israel-Hamas conflict.
But Khawaja, who is Muslim, was told that it flouted ICC rules on messages that relate to politics, religion or race.
He covered the messages with tape and wore the armband.
Khawaja insisted he told the ICC during the match that it was for a personal bereavement and no hidden meaning.
However, the ICC said it breached their clothing and equipment regulations.
"Usman displayed a personal message (armband) during the first Test match against Pakistan without seeking the prior approval of Cricket Australia and the ICC to display it, as required in the regulations for personal messages," the ICC said late Thursday.
"This is a breach under the category of an 'other breach' and the sanction for a first offence is a reprimand."
Khawaja said he would not wear an armband during the second Test in Melbourne next week, but remained defiant.
"No, I'm not wearing it again. As I said to the ICC, the armband was for a personal bereavement," he told reporters in Melbourne.
"The armband was different to my shoes. The shoes were very obvious. At the end of the day I didn't wear the shoes. I respected the rules and procedures and left it at that."
He added that being reprimanded for the armband "makes no sense" and pointed to other players who had previously put stickers on their bats and names on their shoes without approval and escaped punishment, urging the ICC to be more consistent.
"I will just be asking and contesting that they (ICC) make it fair for everyone and they have consistency in how they officiate. That's all I ask for, and from my point of view, that consistency hasn't been done yet," he said.
Khawaja insists armband was not political after ICC reprimand
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Khawaja insists armband was not political after ICC reprimand
- 36-year-old donned armband during team's 360-run victory in Perth, a move seen as in support of people in Gaza
- Says he told the ICC during the match it was for a personal bereavement and had no hidden meaning
Pakistan, Iran leaders highlight mutual support after both engaged in short wars this year
- Prime Minister Sharif met Iranian President Pezeshkian in Ashgabat on the sidelines of an international forum
- Pakistani PM also had an informal interaction with President Putin, discussed regional issue with President Erdogan
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday praised the support their countries offered one another during episodes of external aggression this year, according to the state media, as they met on the sidelines of an international peace forum in Turkmenistan.
Pakistan fought a four-day war with India in May, when New Delhi fired missiles at its cities and Islamabad responded with retaliatory strikes. Nearly a month after the conflict, Iran waged its own war with Israel after Tel Aviv carried out attacks inside Iranian territory, prompting Tehran to launch a series of missile and drone barrages in response.
The meeting in Turkmenistan came as Pakistan and Iran seek to steady ties after a period of strained security relations, while also attempting to expand economic cooperation and strengthen border management. The two leaders reviewed regional developments, including Pakistan’s concerns over militant attacks it says originate from Afghanistan, and ongoing diplomatic efforts related to Gaza.
“Both leaders appreciated the strong support that their countries had provided to each other when they had faced external aggression earlier this year,” the state-owned Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said.
Sharif highlighted the outcome of the 22nd Pakistan–Iran Joint Economic Commission held this year and urged closer coordination to increase bilateral trade, operationalize border markets, reinforce border security and revive transport links, including the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul rail network.
Pezeshkian, according to the report, said Iran wished to further strengthen ties and thanked Sharif for a “useful and timely exchange of views.”
Sharif also pressed for “meaningful action” from the Afghan Taliban administration to address Pakistan’s security concerns, APP added.
Separately, the Pakistani prime minister met other global leaders attending the forum marking the International Year of Peace and Trust 2025 and Turkmenistan’s Neutrality Day.
He held informal interactions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and discussed regional issues with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov.
