Melbourne, Dec 24: Ahead of Australia’s Boxing Day Test match against Pakistan a the MCG, the International Cricket Council has rejected veteran opener Usman Khawaja’s request to put a dove sticker on his bat and shoes during the match.
As per a report in The Sydney Morning Herald, Khawaja trained at the MCG wearing logos of a black dove holding an olive branch during Australia’s practice session. The logo was on his right shoe and also on the back of his bat.
The logo on the bat was accompanied by a reference to Article One of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”
“Khawaja checked the logo with Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers Association ahead of the MCG Test and received no objection from either body. But a rejection of his application arrived from the ICC on Sunday morning,” said the report.
Khawaja had previously been stopped from wearing slogans “All lives are equal” and “Freedom is a human right” on his shoes during Australia’s first Test against Pakistan at Perth. He did wear a black armband during the match, but was reprimanded by the ICC for doing so.
On Friday, Khawaja spoke on the ICC reprimand over wearing the black arm-band in Perth. “I followed all the regulations, past precedents, guys that put stickers on their bats, names on their shoes, done all sorts of things in the past without ICC approval and never been reprimanded. I respect what the ICC (says) and the rules and regulations they have.”
“I will be asking them and contesting they make it fair and equitable for everyone, and they have consistency in how they officiate.” (IANS)
