Pat Cummins, the captain of Australia, backed colleague Usman Khawaja on Monday, stating that the opener’s attempt to draw attention to the humanitarian situation in Gaza was “not offensive”.
The International Cricket Council (ICC), which oversees cricket worldwide, has turned down Khawaja’s request to have a sticker of a black dove clutching an olive branch placed on his shoes and bat for the Boxing Day Test match against Pakistan. Cummins said he doesn’t see any distinction between teammate Marnus Labuschagne’s eagle-emblazoned bat, which represents a particular religious message, and Khawaja’s shoe and bat logos, which promote awareness of humanitarian causes.
“We really believe in Uzzy. On the eve of the second Test at the MCG, Cummins told reporters, “I think he’s done it really respectfully. He’s standing up for what he believes.” “As I said last week, ‘All lives are equal’, I don’t think that’s very offensive and I’d say the same about the dove.”
Usman Khawaja will appeal the ICC’s decision of his black armband
“But obviously there’s rules in place and I believe the ICC have said they’re not going to approve that. They make up the rules and you’ve got to accept it.”
The International Cricket Council (ICC) penalised Khawaja for putting on a black armband during Australia’s 360-run victory over Pakistan in Perth. This came after the cricketer was prohibited from using boots bearing the Palestinian flag’s colours, which stand for the phrases “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal.”
For a long time, Labuschagne has been permitted to carry the sticker of an eagle on the back of his bats in international cricket. The emblem reflects a scripture from the bible.
ICC RULES AND REGULATIONS
However, the ICC rejected his plea, with an ICC representative noting that, even though Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers Association gave their approval for it to be shown,”Personal messages of this nature are not allowed as per Clause F of the Clothing and Equipment Regulations, which can be found on the ICC Playing Conditions page. The ICC is supportive of players using their platforms outside of the playing arena to promote human rights, peace and equality and would encourage him to continue to use alternative platforms.”
The majority of Australian players, including Khawaja, are permitted by ICC regulations to carry several advertising stickers, one for each company represented on their bats, including their bat/equipment sponsor and a secondary personal sponsor.
CRICKET USED AS A MEDIUM EARLIER TOO
Cricketers, both past and present, have often used their platform to promote peace and social causes, employing various means to get their message across during matches. In 2020, West Indies players, led by Darren Bravo, raised their fists in the air during a T20 World Cup match in a symbolic gesture of support for the “Black Lives Matter” movement. This act sparked important conversations about racial injustice and resonated with fans worldwide.
Several cricketers have used their bats to make powerful statements. Chris Gayle’s bat stickers advocating for education for girls and Yuvraj Singh’s bat sticker raising awareness about cancer, Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi used his bat to highlight the plight of Rohingya refugees in 2017, while Bangladeshi cricketer Shakib Al Hasan used his bat to advocate for road safety in 2018.
In 2018, Indian cricketer Ravindra Jadeja wore shoes with the message “Save Dolphins” to raise awareness about dolphin conservation. In 2019, Pakistani fast bowler Hasan Ali wore shoes painted with the Kashmir flag, leading to controversy. In 2019, Sri Lankan cricketer Lasith Malinga wore shoes with the message “End Rape & Child Abuse” during a match, raising awareness about this critical issue. Similarly, Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik wore shoes with the message “Kashmir Bleeds” in 2020, highlighting the ongoing conflict in the region. In 2021, Rohit Sharma also wore shoes highlighting the great one-horned rhinoceros during IPL.
