With a new effort to honor the lives lost in Gaza, prolific Australian opener Usman Khawaja is carrying on his “human rights” gesture campaign. The batter attempted to wear a black dove with an olive branch on his shoes this time in preparation for the Boxing Day Test. But the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected his new application to wear the humanitarian emblem; thus, the plan has now encountered an obstacle.
He proudly flashed the black dove on his right shoe and bat during Australia’s MCG practice session. It was notable for having a stirring passage from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights added to it. The proclamation mostly emphasizes how all people have equal rights and are born free.
Every human being has inherent freedom, equality, and rights from birth. They should treat one another with a spirit of brotherhood because they are endowed with reason and conscience, according to the inscription on Usman Khawaja athletic attire.
The text underscored the significance of parity and fraternity among every person. The southpaw’s moving posture strikes a powerful chord with the idea of compassion and solidarity, even in the face of the ICC’s rejection. Even if the symbolic action might not be accepted in the cricket world, his steadfast dedication to supporting humanitarian causes was still apparent. Furthermore, the human rights allusion and the dove emblem on the bat of Australia’s opener are similar in size and form to the bat of Marnus Labuschagne, who used an eagle and Bible scripture.
Those who put their hope in the Lord, however, will find new strength. The Isaiah 40:31 passage, as presented by Labuschagne on his bat, says, “They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
I will be requesting that the ICC make it just and equal for all parties. Usman Khawaja
The 37-year-old requested approval for his logo from Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers Association prior to the MCG Test, and both organizations declined. But his intentions were derailed when the ICC rejected them on Sunday. Usman Khawaja declined to speak when asked, despite having already talked at length about his position at the MCG on Friday.
“I adhered to all rules, previous examples, and players who emblazoned their names on their shoes, adorned their bats with stickers, and engaged in a variety of other actions without ICC approval—all without ever facing consequences. I honor the guidelines established by the International Criminal Court. I’ll be questioning them about it and arguing that they officiate consistently and fairly for all parties. According to the Brisbane Times, Khawaja stated, “That consistency hasn’t been done yet.”
India
