ICC punishes Usman Khawaja for wearing black armband in Test match

Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has been charged by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for his armband protest during the first Test match against Pakistan at Optus Stadium in Perth. 

In response to the ICC's pre-test ban on his ‘shoe protest,’ the opening batsman wore a black armband during first match against Pakistan, which the host won by 360-run. 

Despite restrictions, Khawaja criticised the decision last week and reiterated his commitment to promoting messages of solidarity for Palestinians in Gaza

According to the cricket governing body, players are required to obtain permission from both their home cricket board and the ICC before wearing armbands, or they may face a violation of ICC rules.

“Usman Khawaja has been charged for breaching Clause F of the Clothing and Equipment Regulations, which can be found on the ICC Playing Conditions page. The sanctions for a breach of the regulations are outlined in Appendix 2,” an ICC spokesperson said.

“Usman displayed a personal message (arm band) during the 1st Test Match against Pakistan without seeking the prior approval of Cricket Australia and the ICC to display it, as required in the regulations for personal messages. This is a breach under the category of an “other breach” and the sanction for a first offence is a reprimand.”

The left-hand batter expressed his dissatisfaction with the ICC's intervention in preventing him from conveying his message. 

He highlighted discrepancies in the ICC's decisions, noting earlier instances where players had been approved to display personal messages related to politics, religion, or race.

Usman Khawaja has submitted a formal application to Cricket Australia and the International Cricket Council, requesting permission to continue drawing attention to human rights concerns in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Khawaja has been vocal in his support for the Palestinian victims of the Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip. In a gesture of support for innocent lives, he intended to wear the same shoes during a Test match against Pakistan. 

However, the International Cricket Council (ICC) intervened, deeming the statement on the shoes as 'political’.

The left-hand batter shared a video on his Instagram and said, “I have noticed that wearing my shoes has caused a little bit of stir. I won't say much, I don’t want to. But what I do want is those who did get offended is to ask themselves this question. Is freedom not for everyone? Are all lives not equal?”

Unable to express his solidarity through slogans on his shoes due to ICC regulations, Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja resorted to wearing a black armband on the first day of the Test against Pakistan in Perth as a subtle form of protest.