Usman Khawaja to wear shoes showcasing solidarity with Palestinians

Usman Khawaja. (Photo Source: Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Australia are all set to kick off their three-game Test series against Pakistan. The first Test of the series will be played at the Optus Stadium in Perth from Thursday, December 14, and ahead of the clash, veteran Australia batter Usman Khawaja revealed that he is planning to wear shoes that show solidarity with the Palestinians.

In the team’s main training session on December 12, Khawaja was seen wearing shoes with the message on them reading, “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal.” The picture of his shoes has been doing the rounds on social media. The 36-year-old also confirmed that he wants to wear the same shoes in the first Test against Pakistan in Perth.

However, with the regulations already in place, it could be interesting to see whether Khawaja will be able to wear the shoes that state the political message. Over the same topic, the ICC code of conduct states that,  “Players and team officials shall not be permitted to wear, display or otherwise convey messages through arm bands or other items affixed to clothing or equipment unless approved in advance by the player or team official’s board. Approval shall not be granted for messages which relate to political, religious or racial activities or causes.”

Australia look to get off to positive start

With the first Test around the corner, Australia will look to get off to a positive start. Coming in as the defending champions, the Pat Cummins-led Aussies will hope for similar performance across 2024 and the upcoming seasons as well.

The side will come into the series on the back of a legendary World Cup-winning campaign, and with Pakistan failing to go big in the same tournament, they will hope for an improved result as well. With the new captaincy of Shan Masood in Test cricket, it could be interesting to see how the side fares against Australia.