According to ESPNcricinfo, Australian opening batter Usman Khawaja will contest the accusation brought against him by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for donning a blank armband during the first Test match against Pakistan.
Khawaja stated that he donned the black armband for “personal bereavement” prior to the commencement of the second Test in Melbourne.
The 37-year-old saw that other cricket players had done “all sorts of things” in the past without ever facing consequences.
“They asked me on day two [in Perth] what it was for and told them it was for a personal bereavement. I never ever stated it was for anything else. The shoes were a different matter, I am 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,” Khawaja was quoted by ESPNcricinfo as saying.
The Australian hitter went on to say that he abides by all rules and regulations set out by the top cricket authority.
The left-handed hitter went on to say that ICC has never been dependable in the past.
“I respect the ICC and the rules and regulations they have. I will be asking them and contesting whether they make it fair and equitable for everyone and whether they have consistency in how they officiate. That consistency has not been done yet. I was very open and honest with that. I will deal with that with the ICC,” he added.
Khawaja had originally intended to enter the field with training-related armbands proclaiming, “all lives are equal” and “freedom is a human right” to draw attention to the humanitarian situation in Gaza. However, Khawaja decided to wear the armband during the first Test match in Perth.
Although players frequently wear black armbands to honour the memories of departed teammates, loved ones, or other important people, doing so requires clearance from the ICC and the national board.
“Usman Khawaja has been charged for breaching Clause F of the Clothing and Equipment Regulations,” an ICC spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo.