Bewildered by the ICC’s determination to reprimand him for sporting a black armband in the course of the first Test in opposition to Pakistan, Australia’s Usman Khawaja on Friday stated he’ll contest the cost as he had advised the governing physique it was for a “personal bereavement”. Khawaja had worn a black armband throughout Australia’s 360-run win over Pakistan in Perth final week. He had arrived for a coaching session on December 13 with “all lives are equal” and “freedom is a human right” inscribed on his batting spikes and had reportedly deliberate to put on them in the course of the inaugural Test.

“The ICC asked me day two (of the Perth Test) what (the black armband) was for, I told them it was for a personal bereavement. I never ever stated it was for anything else,” Khawaja advised reporters.

“I respect the ICC and all the regulations they have, I will be asking them and contesting them … From my point of view, that consistency hasn’t been done yet.” “The shoes were for a different matter, I’m happy to say that, but the armband (reprimand) made no sense to me,” he added.

The opener added that the worldwide governing physique had not utilized the principles persistently.

“I followed all the regulations and past precedents – guys have put stickers on their bats, names on their shoes, done all sorts of things in the past without ICC approval and never been reprimanded.” The ICC’s rules forestall gamers from displaying messages of political, non secular or racial causes throughout worldwide matches.

However, gamers can put on black armbands to mark deaths of former gamers, relations or different important people after taking prior permission from the governing physique.

The ICC reprimand for Khawaja sporting a black armband in Perth carries no monetary or enjoying penalty.

Khawaja additionally denied he had “any hidden agendas” when he arrived for a coaching session with “all lives are equal” and “freedom is a human right” inscribed on his batting spikes, apparently in reference to the warfare in Gaza.

“I don’t have any agendas other than trying to shine a light on what I feel really passionately, really strong about. I’m trying to do it in the most respectful way as possible,” stated Khawaja.

“What I wrote on my shoes was, really I thought about it for a while, what I was going to write. I made sure that I didn’t want to segregate different parts of the population, religious beliefs, communities.” “Hence why I kept religion out of this. I want to be really broad over my speaking because I’m talking about humanitarian issues. I’m talking about article one of Unified Declaration of Human Rights. That is literally the crux of it,” added Khawaja.

“The reason I’m doing it is because it hit me hard. I told Nick (Hockley, Cricket Australia chief) literally just this morning that when I’m looking at my Instagram and I’m seeing kids, innocent kinds, videos of them dying, passing away, that’s what hit me the hardest.

“I simply think about my younger daughter in my arms and the identical factor. I get emotional speaking about it proper now once more. And for me, that is the rationale I’m doing this. I haven’t got any hidden agendas.

“If anything, you know, if anything, this brings up more negativity towards me. People come and start attacking me. I don’t get anything out of this. I just feel like it’s my responsibility to speak up on this.”

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