New Delhi: Australian cricketing batter of South Asian descent, Usman Khawaja, has received important support from West Indian bowling legend Michael Holding on the matter of Khawaja standing up for ‘All Lives Matter’, on his playing shoes.
The Weekend Australian quotes Holding as being “scathing of cricket’s hand-wringing over the issue” Holding said, “I have been following the Khawaja fiasco and I cannot say I’m surprised by the ICC [International Cricket Council] stance.”
He told the newspaper, “If it had been most other organisations that showed some semblance of consistency with their attitude and behaviour on issues I could claim surprise, but not them. Once again they show their hypocrisy and lack of moral standing as an organisation.”
Holding, who created an unusual moment in international cricket, just a couple of years ago, with his honest comments on how black cricketers were treated in a live moment on Sky Sports, extending the sentiment of Black Lives Matter, did not skirt the issue this time too.
“The ICC regulations say re messaging ‘approval shall not be granted for messages which relate to political, religious or racial activities or causes. So how the f**k people were allowed to take the knee for BLM and stumps were covered with LGBTQ colours?”
The paper writes that this is a similar point made by Khawaja and his teammates who are quick to say they support issues but wonder why a phrase like “freedom is a human right” or “all lives are equal” can be banned.
Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins said before the Test, it is hard to object to such sentiment. ICC allowed its participants to take a knee when the Black Lives Matter campaign was at its height. “The gesture was ring fenced and its duration marked by a series of whistles to ensure that the timing of the toss, the anthem, the start of the game and the like were not disturbed.”
Khawaja created a sensation when he wore shoes sporting the message ‘All Lives Matter’ during practice and was asked by the ICC not to wear the shoes on field.
He spoke out and defended his position. “All Lives are Equal. Freedom is a Human right. I’m raising my voice for human rights. For a humanitarian appeal. If you see it any other way. That’s on you…”
Khawaja’s action is said to have been driven by horrific events in Gaza which have seen a record number of deaths of children and civilians in such a short span of time, but he said nothing overtly about it or linked his gesture to that. He thanked people for the support he received this week.
“Thank you to all those who supported and gave me love this week. It wasn’t unnoticed.” He added by saying, “Nothing worthwhile is easy. History shows we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of our past. But together we can fight for a better future.”
Cricket’s uneasy relationship with standing up for what is right has been challenged by cricketers coming out with bigotry off-ground, necessarily making its way on the field, with British cricket commissioning reports on racial inequality and the committees finding enough substance to back the charges.
Khawaja was reprimanded by the ICC for wearing a black armband during the first Test against Pakistan. Cricinfo quoted ICC rules as saying that players are not allowed to sport personal messages without prior approval from their cricket boards and the council.
The Guardian reported that an ICC spokesperson had confirmed the charge in breach of the clothing and equipment regulations on Thursday.
“Usman displayed a personal message [armband] during the first 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,” they said.
“This is a breach under the category of an ‘other breach’ and the sanction for a first offence is a reprimand.”
Khawaja has said he will challenge his reprimand and that he told the council he wore the armband for a personal bereavement, Cricinfo reported.
The Guardian wrote that the slogans “freedom is a human right” and “all lives are equal” were written on the shoes Khawaja wore during training before the first Test against Pakistan in Perth, with the writing in red, green and black – the colours of the Palestinian flag.
The cricket establishment’s ban on apartheid South Africa, which proved to be influential enough to draw harsh light on the country’s practices, and popularise anger against it, has since been more circumspect about ‘politics’.
It is no secret that India’s Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI, whose secretary is Jay Shah, incidentally, the son of Home Minister Amit Shah) has a high degree of control over ICC and Indian cricketers have been known for their silence on issues that matter, or which may rub the government the wrong way.
The treatment of Wasim Jaffar by Uttarakhand, or of bowler Mohammad Shami, when the going has not been good, were received in record-breaking silence by BCCI and by star cricketers, say observers.
