Pakistan-born Australian batter sports shoes with daughters’ names in Melbourne Test

MELBOURNE (AFP) : Australia’s Usman Khawaja wore shoes marked with his daughters’ names as he batted against Pakistan on Tuesday, after he had earlier been banned from sporting footwear with a statement about respecting human rights in Gaza.

A close-up image of the 37-year-old’s shoes, posted on X by Cricket Australia, showed the names of daughters Aisha and Ayla taped to the side of his footwear during the opening day of the second Test in Melbourne.

Khawaja, who was out for 42, had been denied permission by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to have a sticker showing a black dove holding an olive branch on his bat and shoes during the match.

The logo, which he had displayed during training on Sunday, also had the words 01:UDHR— a reference to Article One of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights— written on it.

Khawaja, a Muslim, was also stopped from wearing shoes emblazoned with the hand-written slogans “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal” during the first Test in Perth.

The ICC said they flouted its rules on messages that relate to politics, religion or race.

Khawaja posted an Instagram message on Monday seemingly venting his frustration: “Merry Christmas everybody. Sometimes you just gotta laugh. Cya at Boxing Day!“

He marked his post with the hashtags #inconsistent and #doublestandards.

Last week, Khawaja spoke about how the Israel’s war had affected him.

“When I’m looking at my Instagram and seeing innocent kids, videos of them dying, passing away, that’s what hit me the hardest,” he said.

“I just imagine my young daughter in my arms … I get emotional talking about it again. I don’t have any hidden agendas.”

Cricket Australia and the ICC have been contacted for comment.