Usman Khawaja earns an upgraded Cricket Australia contract

Usman Khawaja, Australia’s prolific run-scorer in recent times has been upgraded to his first Cricket Australia (CA) contract and the approximated $220,000 base deal is only the starting point for a man who is at the peak of his powers. Pakistan-born Khawaja is regarded by CA as “an inspiration to the next generation” and his importance as an ambassador already rivals the impact of established leaders Steve Smith and David Warner. When the new contract list is confirmed in April, Khawaja will be the big mover and is set to rank as high as No.6, meaning he will earn between $1 and $1.5 million from his playing deal alone.

He is also planning to head to the IPL and his form may well earn him big bucks in India. There are also lucrative new bat and apparel endorsements, a Sydney Thunder contract and various other sponsorship and marketing deals that will combine to make him one of the richest sporting stars in Australia.

Khawaja’s engaging personality gives him a powerful cut-through with multicultural communities and kids, and despite being intensely private when it comes to his background and faith, the 29-year-old has passionately embraced the responsibility of being a role model.

“It’s just something I can relate to. For kids growing up in a multicultural dynamic there’s only a few players to sort of look up to at the moment and as role models it’s our job in a way to try and promote that. As someone who is from Pakistan and obviously being a Muslim is very close to my heart. It’s a very personal thing but it’s something I cherish more than anything as well so I love being a part of it,” Khawaja said earlier this year.

Khawaja made his Test debut way back in 2011 but form slumps and serious injury meant he never established himself long enough to land an official CA contract. Now he has hammered three hundreds in as many Tests to effectively make pivotal No.3 batting position his own; something no Australian has managed to achieve since Ricky Ponting’s retirement. For an organisation determined to show it’s the game for all Australians, Khawaja is rapidly becoming one of CA’s most important assets and will soon have a salary to reflect his playing skill and off-field impact.

“We’re going to see more people from his heritage and background playing for Australia in the future. I think he can be an inspiration to the next generation. What we really want cricket to be is a sport that reflects the demographics of Australian society – men and women, boys and girls from all different backgrounds and Usman can certainly do that,” said chief executive James Sutherland on ABC Grandstand.

Sutherland also pointed out that he didn’t want Khawaja to be burdened by the responsibility of being a sole figurehead for multicultural cricket – with Jason Gillespie, for example, still the only indigenous man to ever play a Test for Australia.