Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has expressed dissatisfaction with the International Cricket Council (ICC) after his request to display a dove sticker on his bat and shoes during the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan was rejected. Khawaja had been cleared by Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers Association to feature a black dove logo with a reference to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The ICC cited a potential breach of the "Clothing and Equipment Regulations" as the reason for rejecting Khawaja's request. In response, Khawaja criticized the ICC for alleged double standards and uploaded a reel on Instagram, featuring instances of other players displaying personal symbols on their equipment.
Khawaja had faced a similar situation during Australia's first Test against Pakistan in Perth, where he was prevented from wearing slogans related to the Gaza humanitarian crisis. Despite wearing a black armband in solidarity, he was reprimanded by the ICC.
Australia Test captain Pat Cummins supported Khawaja's stance, stating that the dove logo and its message were not offensive, and Khawaja was standing up for what he believes in. Cummins acknowledged the rules in place but emphasized his support for Khawaja's efforts to highlight the unnecessary loss in conflict zones.
(With Agency Inputs)
