Latest news with #UsmanKhawaja
Express Tribune
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja continues to speak out for Palestine, urges action
Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has once again raised his voice in support of Palestine, highlighting the ongoing violence and its devastating impact on children. The Test cricket star shared a heart-wrenching video on social media showing injured Palestinian children, condemning the atrocities in Gaza. Known for his advocacy on humanitarian issues, Khawaja's post stressed the continued suffering of innocent civilians, especially children. He urged people not to ignore the violence, sharing UNICEF's description of the situation as 'a graveyard for children.' 'Hard to watch... Imagine living it,' Khawaja wrote, expressing his shock at the ongoing killings, starvation, and attacks on aid points. Read: He added, 'I will keep saying it—if this ever becomes normal for us, we are truly lost. Don't stop speaking up. Always stand for humanity, for equality, for a better tomorrow.' This follows Khawaja's earlier condemnation of the deaths of over 130 Palestinian children in a single day, where he highlighted the lack of global outrage. "These kids have names and families, just like you," he stated. Khawaja, born in Pakistan and a practicing Muslim, has consistently used his platform to oppose the violence in Gaza. During Australia's 2023 Test series, he attempted a silent protest with messages on his shoes, but was reprimanded by the International Cricket Council (ICC), leading him to wear a black armband instead. Khawaja criticised the ICC for its inconsistent rule enforcement, saying, "Other guys that have religious things on their equipment, under the ICC guidelines, that's not technically allowed, but the ICC never says anything on that." Read: Through his continued advocacy, Khawaja remains a vocal critic of the violence in Gaza, urging the world to not normalise such brutality.
ABC News
16-07-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Ashes question marks around Sam Konstas, Australian batting after West Indies tour
The Test tours of Sri Lanka and the West Indies were supposed to bridge the gap for the Australian men's Test team and paint a picture of the future both imminent and distant. Instead, with the Ashes starting in four months, it doesn't feel like we know much more than we did a year ago about who should line up against an England team brimming with bravado. And it starts at the top. It was never likely to be a straightforward tour for Usman Khawaja and Sam Konstas. In Caribbean conditions rarely seen by Australian cricketers, against a team cobbled together haphazardly and with nothing to lose, 19-year-old Konstas and 38-year-old Khawaja were both playing for their immediate international futures. And now, after three Tests and six innings each, those futures are both up in the air. The numbers are damning. Konstas scored just 50 runs at an average of 8.3, and Khawaja fared only slightly better, with a top score of 47 and a 19.5 average. Each Test followed a similar pattern for the opening pair. With Australia batting first in all three matches, Khawaja's opening effort of 47 was the only occasion either batter made it to the first break. In each Test, Australia was back at the crease for its second innings before the close of play on day two, and in each match, neither Khawaja nor Konstas came out to bat on the third morning. It was hardly subtle from the West Indies, but it didn't have to be. Around the wicket and angling in, their quartet of right-arm seamers homed in on the left-handed Khawaja's pads. Three of his six dismissals were LBWs prised with such an approach. Despite his tough series, Khawaja still played the odd authoritative shot and remained composed for much of his time in the middle, as he generally does. Konstas, meanwhile, seemed to deflate further with every innings. That fearless, nation-stopping Boxing Day cameo felt like a lifetime ago as he fought for his life on the uneven, unfamiliar Caribbean pitches. His hard hands and lack of footwork were exposed again and again by Shamar Joseph in particular, who claimed Konstas's wicket on three occasions. By the final session of the third Test, Konstas's confidence was clearly shot. He grassed two catches and produced the misfield that allowed the West Indies to escape equalling the record for the lowest Test total of all time. But how much have we actually learnt from Konstas's first overseas series? For every Australian batter, the going was tough in the West Indies. There was uneven bounce and pronounced movement off the seam in Barbados and Grenada, while in Jamaica, the combination of magenta mystery and floodlights was never likely to provide ideal batting conditions. Across the three Tests, no batter came close to scoring a century for either side. The West Indies Brandon King made the highest individual score of the series with 75, while Steve Smith hit Australia's best of 71. Travis Head was the only batter to average over 35, while in Jamaica, no-one made it past 50. The 516 runs scored between the two teams in that third Test was the lowest Test match aggregate for well over 100 years. It shouldn't be a surprise that batting was tough. The strength of this West Indies team lies in its fast bowling, and the hosts were always likely to choose venues and manufacture conditions that would suit Jayden Seales, Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph, who all had excellent series to continue promising Test match careers. But, through the carnage, Cameron Green had a promising, if understated, tour. Arriving in the West Indies just one match into his international comeback, his failure in the World Test Championship final against South Africa meant questions were already being asked about him at number three. Before the opening Test in Barbados, Cummins told the media Green was seen as Australia's "long-term" first drop, despite having never played there in first-class cricket. After an uncomfortable first Test in which he made scores of 3 and 15, Green played the series' longest — and perhaps most telling — innings in the second. He ate up 123 balls for his watchful 52, laying the foundation for his middle order to build a substantial second-innings lead. In the third Test, his two scores in the 40s made him by far the game's best batter. The manner in which Green made his scores will be particularly pleasing to the Australian selectors. Critics had labelled him too slow and too robotic to be effective against a lively new ball. But success against exactly that was the backbone of the West Australian's solid series. With his return to bowling now only a matter of months away, Green's success at number three is also vital for the future of Australia's newest Test success story, Beau Webster. The all-rounder continued his outstanding start to international cricket, scoring two vital half-centuries and picking up five wickets in the Caribbean. If Green can make the number three position his own, Australian selectors can feel confident including both in the team. Of course, there is a lot of men's cricket to be played between now and the start of the Ashes. Australia is playing 22 limited-overs matches in four countries over the next three-and-a-half months, which overlaps with the first three rounds of the Sheffield Shield season. Meanwhile, a strong Australia A side is playing Sri Lanka A in the first of four straight four-day matches, with three 50-over games completed in Marrara and three to come in India in September and October. Including the fourth round of the Shield season, from November 10 to 14, there are dozens of opportunities for players to prove their worth in the long and short forms of the game before the first Ashes Test in Perth on November 21. And already some batters are putting their hands up, albeit without any great consistency. Matt Renshaw has gone on a heater in 50-over games against Sri Lanka A but isn't playing the first-class fixture, while fellow recent Test opener Nathan McSweeney has jumped between opener, first drop and number five, boasting as many 80-plus scores as single-digit innings. Kurtis Patterson still has a Test average of 144 (from two innings) and has enjoyed something of a resurgence in the first-class scene of late. Jason Sangha had unbeaten centuries in his past two Shield games and a pair of half-centuries for Australia A, and don't be surprised if you start hearing "Ollie Davies" whispered on the wind if the 24-year-old makes a hot start to the Shield season with NSW. Of course, none of these players are currently starting the innings for their states. Konstas has the inside track as the incumbent Test opener but Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne were picked ahead of him in Australia's past three Tests, so selectors clearly aren't sold on him. Add in his failures in the Caribbean and a tough start to the Shield season might just see him lapped by the field. Plus, as we learned with McSweeney last summer, selectors aren't afraid to make a mid-series change if things aren't going right. So, even if Konstas starts the summer, a couple of poor outings against England could see the tides shift. Cricket Australia made sure to point out the fifth round of Shield cricket, played during the first Test, will feature day-night games at Adelaide Oval and the Gabba, the site of the second pink-ball Test against England the following week. At the end of the day, the top scorer in domestic first-class cricket last summer was a specialist opener: Jake Weatherald. The Tasmanian was the only batter with over 900 runs, and scored three tons — all over 140 — last season. He's also already turned 30, which didn't scare selectors away from Beau Webster in their hour of need, but would signal a clear change of tack away from the selections of McSweeney and Konstas, both of which were at least partly fuelled by their youth when compared to the rest of the Test team. And while we're talking about 30-plus Shield veterans, don't be surprised if calls start for Marcus Harris to resume his 14-Test career. Despite a rare down year in Shield cricket, he travelled to England and averaged 63.5 with three centuries and two 50s for Lancashire in April and May, albeit while batting exclusively at number four and facing none of the bowlers England will bring down under. And the bowling attack for England will be an interesting watch. Rarely have they brought a seamer to Australia with any sort of success, leading to a decade without the Urn, but this time could be different. Jofra Archer has returned from four long years in the Test wilderness to torment superstar India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal with the sort of rapid pace and bounce that lends itself to Australian pitches and England missed so sorely when he was absent for the 2021/22 series. Gus Atkinson is also returning for the next Test and has genuine speed in his arm, while Headingley destroyer Mark Wood continues his recovery from a knee injury, looking to return to Australia for the first time since taking nine wickets with the pink ball in Hobart three years ago. Brydon Carse offers more seam, while Ben Stokes is back bowling at his lion-hearted best in the gripping five-Test series against India, which should have England far more ready for a proper contest than Australia after brushing aside the West Indies. The team Australia picks will be anyone's guess, but if England can keep its pace attack fit and firing, the flimsy batting line-up will need to find some fight to keep the streak alive.
News.com.au
14-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘Never give up hope': Forgotten man in mix for Ashes recall amid Konstas doubts
Mike Hussey believes the door may be ajar for Cameron Bancroft to return to Australia's XI for the Ashes, despite the forgotten opener's fears that the ship may have sailed on his Test career. Usman Khawaja appears set to play out the Ashes before retiring, but the jury is still out on teenager Sam Konstas, who hasn't made a big score since his blistering half century against India last Boxing Day. West Indies vs Australia Test & T20I Series | Watch every ball LIVE with ESPN, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. Konstas has scores of 60, 8, 23, 22, 3, 5, 25, 0, 17, and 0 in Test cricket so far and his form against the West Indies has raised serious doubts over whether he will open the batting against England this summer. The commenators described it as a 'miserable first trip to the West Indies for Konstas'. Konstas is clearly a talented player and a star of the future, but he has looked lost at times during against the West Indies with some technical flaws on display. Speaking to Hussey said Konstas was still making his way in Test cricket but there are alternatives if selectors opted to go with a more experienced player to partner Khawaja at the top of the order against England. The first few Sheffield Shield matches before the first Ashes Test in Perth on November 21 could prove pivotal in the make-up of Australia's top six. Hussey flagged West Australian batters Cam Bancroft and Sam Whiteman as potential options to come into the Australian XI, while the likes of Kurtis Patterson, Henry Hunt, Jason Sangha could force themselves into the selection frame with strong form. Matt Renshaw and Marcus Harris are other opening options, but their window at Test level may have come and gone. Hussey said: 'There's no one in particular that I think 'I'd love to see this guy in', but what I am excited about is I feel like there's a number of guys that have a great opportunity for the start of the next Sheffield Shield season to really hit the ground running, get a couple of really big scores and throw their name right into the mix. 'Obviously (Nathan) McSweeney got a bit of an opportunity last year, he's one. Marcus Harris has been scoring runs in England, he's been around for a little while. 'Kurtis Patterson's been doing well for New South Wales. Jason Sangha for South Australia finished off the season brilliantly last year. I mean there's still Cameron Bancroft and Sam Whiteman floating around with a bit of experience as well. I'm probably missing a couple that should be in the conversation as well. 'That's the exciting thing. Yes, maybe there's some brilliant players that are coming towards the back end of their career, but hopefully got a little bit more cricket left in them, but there's going to be some good competition for spots moving forward.' Bancroft played the last of his 10 Tests in the 2019 Ashes, and has been solid for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield and for Gloucestershire in County Cricket – he was the top Shield runscorer in 2022/23 and 2023/24 with hauls of 945 and 778 runs. The 32-year-old, who was infamously involved in the sandpaper scandal, recently made the tough admission he believes his chances of a Test recall may be over. 'You never give up hope, but I've got to say that the squad and set-up is looking at the moment means I'm probably not going to get the chance,' Bancroft said on behalf of Genting Casino. 'To be able to represent my country again would be awesome and I've played in a couple of Ashes series which were great fun to be part of. The way both countries come together is unique and it makes for a really exciting contest. 'The wonderful thing about playing county cricket is that I've faced some of the English talent that is knocking around. I played with (England fast bowler) Matt Potts up at Durham a few years ago and is exciting that these types of bowlers are getting the opportunity.' England have not won a Test match in Australia since the 2010-11 series, but it is expected to be a more closely contested Ashes series than England's previous three tours to Australia. A settled batting line-up with plenty of firepower has England hopeful of winning their first Ashes series since 2015, but the fortunes of the Poms will likely come down to the availability of their fast bowling brigade following the retirements of James Anderson and Stuart Broad. 'Both Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts have what it takes to succeed in Australia. They have good air speed, which is a vital tool,' Bancroft said. 'We've got a couple of bowlers at Gloucestershire that have played for Lions recently and could transition into international cricket. Ajeet Singh Dale is someone I rate very highly. he's a wonderful bowler who hasn't previously got the returns he deserves in domestic cricket. 'The package he offers and the way he bowls makes me think he's someone who would be successful for England. He's a really good learner, he is someone who I think is keen to improve and who is keen can play for England. He's a great professional and I'm not surprised that England have been taking a look at him.' Bncroft believes Australia will be able to retain the Ashes, largely on the back of the historically prolific bowling cartel and the faact Australian pitches have been difficult to bat on in recent summers. 'I'm reasonably confident that Australia will retain the Ashes, especially in our home conditions,' Bancroft said. 'It won't be easy, but I'd like to think we'd be able to make Australian conditions count and put England under pressure. I don't see any reason as to why we won't win the Ashes.' It's difficult to get a gauge on form with Australia's batting looking brittle on tricky pitches in the West Indies, while England and India's batters are racking up centuries for fun on UK pitches that have been described as highways. 'The conditions in Australia are quite different to anywhere England have played recently, especially in Test cricket,' Bancroft said. 'Across the last couple of years, the pitches haven't always been flat and batter-friendly. We've seen quite a bit of extra pace and bounce in recent times, which means you're flirting with danger when playing an aggressive style like England do. 'With that being said, though, you need to look at some of the innings Travis Head and Alex Carey have played in a counterattacking style. They are all about putting pressure on the opposition bowlers and seeing them do that in Australia can only big a good thing for. Australia will have be wary of that happening, for sure. 'I think Steve Smith will remain England's biggest problem, 100 per cent. His experience alone and weight of Ashes runs will be a big factor. 'The positive thing for England is that their new generation of bowlers will not have faced Steve Smith previously and will go into the Ashes without mental scars of the previous series. 'Whether Cameron Green bats at three during the Ashes probably depends on how he feels when it comes to bowling but, having been a teammate of his and watched his progress recently at Gloucestershire, I know how much hard work he's been putting in. He's a still really young and is someone who sure we should be watching out for in the Ashes.' Victory in the Ashes will help cement Pat Cummins' legacy as one of the Australia's great captains, while it's all on the line for Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum's attacking 'Bazball' method. 'Winning the Ashes will be a nice reflection on Pat Cummins as a captain and a nice reflection of how good this Australia team that he's been able to lead is,' said Bancroft. 'Leadership is one part, put having the right people around you means everything can come together. 'This team, for sure, is one of the best Australian teams we've seen. They're right up there.' England's Bazballers have some Aussie fans nervous, but Hussey is backing the Aussies to get the job done. 'We're always nervous coming into an Ashes series, but we should still be confident,' Hussey said. 'We play very well in Australian conditions, we know the conditions so well. England will certainly come in pretty hard. 'It looks like they're trying to build a bit of a pace battery to come in and really test the Australian batters. They believe the way to have success in Australia is by having high pace fast bowlers coming in, which would be a good tactic to make for some exciting cricket, no question about that. 'Their batting looks pretty settled. They're going to come with certainly some confidence and the way Brendan McCullum leads that sort of team with Ben Stokes, they're not going to take a backward step. They'll come out trying to throw some punches and it's just going to make for such an exciting series.'
France 24
13-07-2025
- Sport
- France 24
West Indies make slow progress in third Test against Australia
In stark contrast to the frenetic final session of day one under lights when eight wickets fell for 103 runs, the home side found free scoring almost impossible on a seamer-friendly surface against a bowling attack offering very few scoring opportunities. Just 57 runs came off 23 overs for the loss of the two wickets. Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins were the successful bowlers on a humid afternoon, accounting for the overnight pair of Brandon King and Roston Chase. King was trapped lbw by a full delivery from Hazlewood while Australian captain Cummins removed his West Indian counterpart via an edge to Usman Khawaja at first slip as Chase failed to effectively negotiate a ball which lifted sharply off a good length. Those two wickets brought together John Campbell and Mikyle Louis, the selected openers, who were unable to take their appointed positions at the top of the order late on day one due to injuries sustained while fielding. Australia, who made 225 after choosing to bat, are seeking a clean sweep of the series after victories in the first two Tests in Barbados and Grenada. West Indies' last Test match victory over Australia in the Caribbean was in 2003 when they set a new record for successful run-chases in Test cricket in reaching 418 for seven in Antigua to deny Ricky Ponting's team of a whitewash of the four-match series.
Khaleej Times
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
West Indies bowl out Australia for 225 after dramatic collapse
Australia lost seven wickets for 68 runs in a dramatic collapse to be all out for 225 on day one of the third and final Test against West Indies at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica. West Indies finished the day on 16 for one — 209 runs behind — after Australia's Mitchell Starc bowled Kevlon Anderson off the inside edge in the pacer's 100th test. Starc, 35, is just the second Australian fast bowler after Glenn McGrath to play 100 Tests. Australia won the toss and opted to bat first for the day-night Test but crumbled despite being 157-3 at one stage as the West Indies bowlers ripped through their middle order before being dismissed in 70.3 overs. Australia's Usman Khawaja and Sam Konstas shared a 28-run opening partnership before Justin Greaves provided the breakthrough for West Indies by removing Konstas. Steve Smith top-scored for Australia with 48, and shared a 61-run stand with Cameron Green, the visitors' highest partnership of the day. West Indies quick Shamar Joseph finished with 4-33, the pick of the home bowlers, while Jayden Seales and Justin Greaves took three wickets each. For West Indies, opener Brandon King was batting on eight with skipper Roston Chase on three at the other end after losing Anderson for three runs. West Indies fielded a makeshift opening pair of Anderson and King after Mikyle Louis and John Campbell sustained injuries while fielding and were sent to hospital for scans. "Every pitch has been tough. The more balls you spend in the middle you hope it gets better but it just hasn't been the case," Green told broadcasters. "It's a bit of a grind first time with these balls, but a lot of learnings. Time in the middle is key – just trying to get used to their bowlers, their conditions. "Very happy with our position (in this test). We wanted to give them a tricky last 45 minutes. To get them one down is crucial, and we'll wait and see what happens tomorrow." Australia won the first Test by 159 runs and second by 133 runs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
