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The Aussie cricketer recalled how things became more difficult for him after the infamous terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001.
Usman Khawaja now plays as an opener in the Australia Test Team. (Image: X)
Usman Khawaja recently opened up about the challenges he faced while building his career in the Australian cricket scene. Khawaja who was born in Pakistan relocated to the country at the age of just five.
He developed a passion for cricket during his childhood and always wanted to be a professional. When he started his journey, Khawaja had noticed that Australian cricket was mostly dominated by players from white backgrounds. Being a Pakistani immigrant, Khwaja found it hard to blend into the culture. The opener felt that he had to behave and act as an Australian to be accepted by society.
“I wanted to be as ‘Australian’ as possible. I wanted to be as white as possible because I felt like that’s what I had to do to play for Australia,” Khawaja shared during an interaction with ABC Sport.
The Aussie cricketer recalled how things became more difficult for him after the infamous terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001. “After September 11, things changed a lot, you know, everywhere around the world. There were a lot of things I’d grown up seeing and experiencing,” the 37-year-old said.
Khawaja now wants to be the voice for people like him who need a platform to flourish. “The last five years, in particular, I’ve thought about what legacy I want to leave in this game. I’ve played cricket for a long time, and people will remember me as a cricketer. But there’s so much about Australia that I love and want everyone else to experience,” he explained.
Khawaja feels Australian cricket should be made accessible to talented players from all backgrounds. This issue, however, is not evident only in cricket. Khawaja pointed his finger at certain social forces which, according to him, attempt to draw lines between people based on their religion and race.
“When I see people creating hate, and trying to divide the Australian community based on beliefs or backgrounds, I feel an obligation to stand up for all the people like myself and those who don’t have a voice. If I don’t stand up for that, who will?” Khawaja said.
Since making his international debut in 2011, Khawaja has represented Australia in 73 Tests and 43 ODIs. He has aggregated a total of 7005 runs across the two formats.
