Usman Khawaja announces retirement from international cricket, says lifelong disappointment stayed with him

Sydney (The Uttam Hindu): Australia’s left-handed opening batter Usman Khawaja has announced his retirement from international cricket. The fifth Ashes Test, starting January 4 in Sydney, will be the final match of his international career. Khawaja made the announcement during a press conference on Friday morning, where his family was also present.

Khawaja said, “I am here to announce that after the Sydney Test, I will retire from all formats of international cricket. God has given me far more through cricket than I ever imagined. The game has given me lifelong memories, friendships beyond cricket, and lessons that shaped who I am off the field.”

He added that no career is built alone and credited his parents and wife for their constant support. “They made sacrifices that never came into the spotlight. My father believed more than anyone that I would play for Australia. I thank him for that belief,” Khawaja said.

During the interaction, Khawaja also spoke about racial stereotyping he faced in relation to his fitness, preparation for the Ashes, and his back issues. He said comments such as “he is not committed to the team”, “he only thinks about himself”, “he played golf a day before the match”, “he is lazy”, and “he does not train hard enough” were stereotypes he had faced throughout his life.

“These are the same racial stereotypes I grew up with. This is what disappoints me the most, because I thought we had moved past this. But it still exists in small ways, and I have to fight it every day. That is very frustrating,” he said.

Usman Khawaja was the first cricketer of Pakistani origin to represent Australia at the international level.

At 39, factors such as age, form during the Ashes series, and the need to give opportunities to younger players contributed to his decision. In the ongoing Ashes series, he featured in three of the four Tests so far and missed the Brisbane Test due to injury. In five innings of the series, he scored 2, 82, 40, 0 and 29. In his last 15 innings, he managed only one half-century. He will aim to sign off with a big innings in the Sydney Test.

Khawaja made his Test debut in 2011 and his ODI debut in 2013. In 87 Tests and 157 innings, he scored 6,206 runs at an average of 43.39, including 16 centuries and 28 half-centuries, with a highest score of 232. In 40 ODIs, he scored 1,554 runs with two centuries and 12 half-centuries. In nine T20 internationals, he scored 241 runs, including one half-century. His last ODI was in 2019, while his final T20 appearance came in 2016.