Australian Test opener Usman Khawaja has once again raised his voice against the ongoing violence in Palestine.
The left-handed batter took to social media to express his grief and frustration over the alleged killing of over 130 children, calling out the double standards in global outrage.
Sharing a heart-wrenching image of an infant’s corpse from American activist Omar Suleiman’s post, Khawaja wrote: “Over 130 children killed in one day. For no reason, to break a CEASEFIRE.”
His frustration was clear as he questioned why some lives seem to matter more than others.
“Now imagine if that happened on the opposite side. The outrage that would occur. All lives aren’t equal.”
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Khawaja’s message wasn’t just about numbers—it was about real people, real families, and real tragedies. He reminded the world that these children had names, parents, siblings—just like anyone else.
“We can’t normalise this type of brutality. Although I’m afraid we may already have. I can’t believe this is still happening.”
This isn’t the first time the Pakistan-born cricketer has voiced his concerns. He has been a consistent critic of the Israel-Palestine conflict, using his platform to spread awareness.
During Australia’s home Test series against Pakistan in late 2023, he tried to stage a silent protest. He planned to wear shoes with the slogans:
- “Freedom is a human right”
- “All lives are equal”
But the ICC shut it down, citing their rules against political or personal messages on cricketing gear. Instead, Usman Khawaja wore a black armband during the first Test against Pakistan, a gesture commonly used to mourn tragedies.
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Even the black armband couldn’t shield Khawaja from ICC action. The governing body reprimanded him, saying he was displaying a personal message.
Frustrated, Khawaja called out the inconsistencies in ICC’s rulings. “Other guys that have religious things on their equipment, under the ICC guidelines that’s not technically allowed, but the ICC never says anything on that.”
He felt that certain causes were allowed while others weren’t, raising questions about who gets to decide what’s acceptable.
In an era where many athletes choose to stay away from controversial topics, Khawaja has consistently stood his ground. He isn’t afraid to use his voice, even when it costs him.
His latest post is another reminder that sports and politics can’t always be separated—because at the end of the day, athletes are humans first.
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