- Usman Khawaja sent a Palestine message in the Big Bash League
- The opener placed a dove symbol on his bat before the Heat’s game
- He has had arguments with officials over his position
Usman Khawaja has finally had his chance to showcase the peace symbols of doves and olive branches in a BBL cameo innings for the Brisbane Heat.
The footage was shown by the Heat captain on his boots and bat during his knock of 14 from eight deliveries at the Gabba against Perth on Wednesday evening.
It was part of Khawaja’s campaign to draw attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
But the peace bat survived just four balls before being replaced when Khawaja cracked it during his short-lived innings.
On Wednesday he needed a replacement bat, which also had the symbols of the dove and olive branch.
Usman Khawaja made a statement about Palestine during the Big Bash League
“I think I broke it with the first four, I think I hit the next four with a broken bat,” Khawaja told Fox Sports.
“I said to Munners (Colin Munro) ‘I swore I would hit that better.’ He said, ‘Yes, I thought you did that too.’
‘Then I looked down and realized what had happened. I had no idea, but it made sense; I just thought I was shaking them.”
Fortunately, Khawaja picked up a replacement bat after his wife’s advice.
“That just pooped itself there,” Khawaja said of the bat.
‘The shoulder of the blade has broken off. I said to the woman today and I said, ‘I think I’ll just go with one bat.’ She said, ‘You can’t just go with one bat.’ I said, ‘I think I’ll be fine.’ I ended up packing another bat. There’s not even a face on it.
“She is the prepared one. You know what the women do: they take care of us. I just go with the flow.’
Khawaja was ruled out of this by the International Cricket Council in the recent Test series against Pakistan, but Cricket Australia backed his move and the opportunity arose in the BBL.
Khawaja had the peace symbols and a reference to article one of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on his boots and his bat for four deliveries – before breaking it.
The experienced opener made a cameo appearance for the Brisbane Heat on Wednesday
He had to ask for a new bat, but the replacement did not display the symbols.
The dove and olive branch have been representative of peace, love and harmony for thousands of years, with the symbolism used in the Old Testament in the Bible, by the ancient Greeks and by various cultures and belief systems.
The meaning of the ’01:UDHR’ that Khawaja showed in small letters is the reference to article one of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was proclaimed in 1948 by the United Nations General Assembly.
It says: ‘All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and must act towards each other in a spirit of brotherhood.’
Khawaja has received support from his Australian and Brisbane Heat colleagues for his actions.
Khawaja is at odds with officials over his Palestinian war stance
“The team has obviously been very supportive of him and what he’s trying to do,” Heat and Australia teammate Marnus Labuschagne said.
Khawaja returned to captain the Heat against the Scorchers, where he was joined by Labuschagne.
On Saturday, both will join the Australian squad in Adelaide, where they will prepare for the first Test against the West Indies, starting on January 17.