Australia’s Pat Cummins extended his support to Usman Khawaja amidst controversy surrounding the latter’s attempt to display a peace symbol during the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan.
Despite Khawaja’s request to exhibit a dove symbol on his gear being denied by the International Cricket Council (ICC) due to clothing regulations, Cummins stood by his teammate’s gesture.
Khawaja’s peaceful message, symbolized by a dove and olive branch on his shoes during training, was rejected by the ICC, citing violations of clothing and equipment rules. Cummins defended Khawaja’s attempt, likening it to teammate Marnus Labuschagne’s consistent display of a Bible verse on his bat, considering both as innocuous representations.
Previously, Khawaja faced sanctions for trying to display messages like “freedom is a human right” and “all lives are equal” on his gear during the first Test in Perth. Despite the ICC’s refusal, Cummins lauded Khawaja’s integrity and commitment to expressing beliefs and advocating for equality and peaceful conflict resolution.
Cummins emphasized the team’s ethos of embracing individuality, believing players perform best when allowed to express themselves genuinely. He stressed the positive impact of players feeling comfortable and authentic, both on and off the cricket field.
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