'I stand by what I said' - Usman Khawaja chats barefoot after his Pro-Palestine shoes controversy

Australia's seasoned opener, Usman Khawaja's recent actions, sparked controversy when he chose to display messages advocating for Palestinian rights, including "Freedom is a human right" and "All Lives Are Equal," on his shoes during the opening Test against Pakistan at the Optus Stadium in Perth on December 14, Thursday.

Despite initially expressing his determination to defy the International Cricket Council (ICC) and wear the shoes, Khawaja ultimately complied with the ICC's directive. Notably, the global governing body strictly prohibits the inclusion of political, religious, or racial messages during any matches. However, he further stated that he would fight the ICC for his right to express his humanitarian views.

What further captured public attention was Khawaja's barefoot interview with 7Cricket broadcaster Alison Mitchell before the commencement of the first day's play. In the interview, the Pakistan-born batter affirmed his commitment to adhere to ICC regulations while simultaneously standing by the cause for which he sought to raise his views.

“I’m a grown man, I can do anything I want, but the ICC will just keep coming down and giving me fines, and at some point, it will detract from the game. I stand by what I said. I’ll stand by it forever. But, I also need to go out there and really concentrate on what I’m doing,” Khawaja told Mitchell.

“No, I’ll try to do it as soon as possible, whenever that’s possible. I think there have already been precedents set in the past that ICC have allowed. Precedents said that players have done stuff where ICC hasn’t done anything in the past. So I find it a bit unfair that they have come down on me at this point in time where there have definitely been precedents in the past of similar things,” the 36-year-old added.

Coming up before play: @AlisonMitchell chats with Usman Khawaja #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/TosoDs8qBN

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 14, 2023

🗣️ "There's already been precedent set in the past that ICC have allowed...

"So I find it a bit unfair that they've come down on me at this point in time where there's definitely been precedent in the past.

- Usman Khawaja to @alisonmitchell #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/T9LLP3ufpr

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 14, 2023

In addition, Usman Khawaja has clearly conveyed his stance through a recent gesture in the ongoing first Test. When Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bat against Pakistan, the 36-year-old came out to bat wearing a black armband. This act symbolises his support and solidarity for those affected by the Israel-Hamas conflict. Notably, he also sported shoes featuring Pro-Palestine messages, but he covered the messages with semi-transparent tape, indicating a nuanced approach to expressing his views.