Usman Khawaja has announced he will retire from international cricket after the fifth Ashes Test at the SCG, ending a 15-year career. The 39-year-old played 87 Tests, scoring over 6,200 runs with 16 centuries. In his announcement, Khawaja reflected on representing Australia and criticised criticism and treatment from some former players and media during a distinguished and widely respected career.

Veteran Australian batter Usman Khawaja has confirmed he will retire from international cricket following the fifth and final Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, ending a distinguished 15-year career that made him one of Australia’s most respected batsmen. The 39-year-old, who has played 87 Test matches and scored more than 6,200 runs with 16 centuries, used his retirement announcement not just to reflect on his time in the Baggy Green, but also to call out the way he was treated by some former players and sections of the media. 

Speaking at a press conference in Sydney, Khawaja expressed deep disappointment that commentary from past cricketers and pundits often crossed the line into personal criticism, especially over his preparation and fitness. He recounted how, after suffering back spasms before the first Ashes Test in Perth, former players and pundits focused less on his performance and more on his character and commitment, levelling accusations that he was selfish or insufficiently committed to the team. “I'm a proud Muslim coloured boy from Pakistan who was told that he would never play for the Australian cricket team. Look at me now, and you can do the same,” he said.

Khawaja went further to highlight that some of the attack lines echoed racial stereotypes he has encountered throughout his life and career. He noted that claims he was lazy or didn’t train hard enough were familiar tropes he had worked against since childhood, and that he had expected the sport to have moved beyond such narratives.

As Khawaja prepares to take to the field one last time, his retirement marks the close of a notable chapter in Australian cricket, one that blended top-class performance with a candid call for greater understanding and respect in how players of all backgrounds are discussed by commentators and former stars alike.

Usman Khawaja Sparks Controversy After Attending F1 Race Amid Sheffield Shield Fixture Absence Due To Hamstring Injury

Australian opener Usman Khawaja has landed in hot water after being spotted at the F1 Grand Prix in Melbourne, despite missing a Sheffield Shield match for Queensland due to a claimed hamstring injury.

However, photos have emerged on social media which show Usman Khawaja enjoying the Formula 1 action at the Albert Park in Melbourne, sparking widespread criticism and raising questions about the severity of his injury.

Usman Khawaja also reportedly chose to skip the team's trip to spend time with his family during Ramadan, but instead flew to Melbourne with his wife, where he was spotted enjoying the F1 Grand Prix.