Image Credit- Getty
During the BBL match against Perth Scorchers in
Brisbane, Usman Khawaja wore his shoes and bat with the dove and olive branch
insignia, which the ICC has outlawed.
Before the Boxing Day Test match against Pakistan, the
Cricket Australia board gave its approval to the photograph. However, even
though Khawaja submitted the image to the Indian Cricket Council, the governing
body refused to allow him to use it during play. The BBL is a domestic
competition, hence the ICC has no control over it.
The symbol was on the back of the bat he used to begin
the innings, but the replacement did not display it after he shattered it in
the first over.
The (ICC) prevented Khawaja from wearing humanitarian
slogans on his shoes during the Perth Test to raise awareness of the Gaza
situation.
Subsequently, he donned a black armband, which was
interpreted to be connected to his remarks on social media regarding the
humanitarian issue. However, prior to the Melbourne Test, Khawaja stated that
it was worn due to a personal loss.
The logo on Khawaja’s shoes and bat also references
article one of the universal declaration of human rights which reads: “All
human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed
with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of
brotherhood.”
Khawaja previously said he did not believe the ICC had
been consistent in applying regulations.
“They asked me on day two [in Perth] what it was
for and told them it was for a personal bereavement,” he said of the
armband. “I never ever stated it was for anything else. The shoes were a
different matter, I’m happy to say that. The armband makes no sense to me. I
followed all the regulations, past precedents, guys that put stickers on their
bats, names on their shoes, done all sorts of things in the past without ICC
approval and never been reprimanded.”