MELBOURNE: Batsman Usman Khawaja is operating with Cricket Australia to make sure greater South Asian representation into his adopted nation’s cricketing ecosystem, roughly a decade later getting the first Muslim to wear the baggy green after a brush with racism.
After he made his international debut in the SCG, his home ground, at an Ashes Test in 2011, the top-order batter became the first Muslim and also the very first participant of Pakistani descent to represent Australia.
Khawaja has frequently talked about the challenges he’s faced in his quest to play top notch cricket in Australia.
“It’s is a whole lot better today,” Khawaja was quoted as stating in ESPNCricinfo.
“I see far more cricketers coming through country amounts in Australia specifically that are out of subcontinent wallpapers, which we actually didn’t see when I came back upwhen I played.
“I had been enjoying domestic cricket and that I was the sole subcontinent participant.
Right now there is only likely myself and a couple of others.” Even the 34-year-old Khawaja, who has close to 3000 runs in 44 Tests and over 1500 runs in 40 ODIs to a mean of over 40 in the languages, mentioned England group as an illustration of diversity which Australia can have a cue from.
The ODI group is directed by an Irish Eoin Morgan, direct pacer Jofra Archer is in Barbados while Moeen Ali along with Adil Rashid are British Asians of all Pakistani descent.
Ben Stokes is a New Zealander by birth.
“We are still a very long way to proceed and that I take a look at the England group and realize the diversity they have needed for quite a while.
They’re an older country than individuals, but I will view that diversity and believe that is likely where Australia should reach.
“We’ve definitely gotten much better from when I was younger, however, it is a generational shift also.” Khawaja, who had been born in Islamabad, proceeded to Australia with his family when he was five.
“Once I began being more concerned in cricket, individuals with subcontinent legacy in Australia came to me and stated,’we are so pleased to see you on top.
Seeing somebody like you, we believe we have got a role in the Australian group, and we all encourage that the Australian group.
We did not do it and we also do it today’,” said Khawaja.