Never supported Australia due to racism: Khawaja

[Shahzaz ud din]

Never supported Australia due to racism: Khawaja
By Reuters
Published: October 9, 2017
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PHOTO: REUTERS

MELBOURNE: Test batsman Usman Khawaja has said being racially vilified when he was growing up in Sydney led him to support other countries rather than back Australian sports teams.

The Pakistan-born 30-year-old said in a blog post that racial abuse was widespread on the playing field during his junior days and blamed it for curtailing the sporting ambitions of a number of his overseas-born friends.

“Getting sledged by opposition players and their parents was the norm,” Khawaja wrote on the PlayersVoice website (playersvoice.com.au). “Some of them said it just quietly enough for only me to hear. It still hurt, but I would never show it. Most of the time it was when I scored runs. Some parents take things too seriously. It is for this reason why so many of my friends, most of whom were born outside Australia, didn’t support Australia in sporting contests. I didn’t either.”

The left-handed batsman added that in cricket he would support any team other than Australia.”Especially in cricket. It was either West Indies, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka. Anyone else,” he revealed.

The first Muslim to play test cricket for Australia, left-hander Khawaja has scored 1,728 runs in his 24 Tests at an average of 45.47, and is likely to be selected at number three for the upcoming Ashes series against England.

He said the hard-edged Australia teams of his childhood held little appeal. “In hindsight, the fact we didn’t support Australia is disappointing,” he added. “Everything that was going on in our childhood and around us built up this resentment of the Australian cricket team. I mean, none of them looked like us. I was brought up to be respectful, humble and polite. But when I watched the Aussie team, I saw men who were hard-nosed, confident, almost brutish. The same type of men who would sledge me about my heritage growing up.”

Khawaja credited his “strong-willed” family and his own competitive nature for his international breakthrough but said a number of aspiring players had been thwarted by racism.

“My point is this: it’s no surprise it has taken Australia cricket so long for coloured players to come through the system,” he said. “There is no doubt racism and politics played a large role in selections in the past. I’ve heard a few stories from past Anglo-Saxon players where this seems to be the case. It would just be the times that they lived in. Certainly cricket and society has come a long way. Now sub-continental parents can see a future for their kids, at a younger age.”


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[ValerioAurelius]

booohoooo such a little princess. He should do balett

 

[Jaanbaz]

booohoooo such a little princess. He should do balett

Piss off.

 

[ValerioAurelius]

Piss off.

Why? Did he dance the swan?

I cant take a crying man serious.

 

[Śakra]

Why can't we all be friends?

 

[Proudpakistaniguy]

Good to see him playing for team which he never supported

He should not score runs against Pakistan, West indies and India

But yes no doubts about arrogance of Aussie

 

[Trisonics]

He calls Australians racist but the yet he gets to play in the national side. Sorry but he seems to be a whiner and probably could not fit in. Australians comes across as racist..but if they really are, he wouldn't be picked to play in the national side at any time. Quit whining please!

 

[Flash_Ninja]

He calls Australians racist but the yet he gets to play in the national side. Sorry but he seems to be a whiner and probably could not fit in. Australians comes across as racist..but if they really are, he wouldn't be picked to play in the national side at any time. Quit whining please!

Using this logic, African-Americans should never have protested racism in the 20th century because they were allowed to be athletes too.

 

[Thetigerforces]

This isn't true. I have lived in Australia all my life, and have rarely ever faced serious racism. Of course there is "banter" but that happens to people of all races here really, it might just be like this in the state he grew up in.

 

[Winter Soldier]

pakistanis keep calling Indians short dark baniyas and now are crying about racism in australia. what the heck is wrong with them?

 

[Diggy]

pakistan on any day is a far more racist and xenophobic country than australia , the only difference is that it doesn't have these immigrants from these western countries living in their country yet hence that narrow minded thinking has not surfaced or experienced for the world to see . This guy is of pakistani origin , he should quit whining and shut up. Muslims living in other countries should practice what they preach , what pakistan has done with mohajirs , bengalis , hindus , shias and christians in their country? a country made for the muslim feudal's ..these people at-least where from the same piece of land , living there for centuries, not some different colored people from some other continent . Practice what you preach!

 

[Gibbs]

Nothing but a bloody whinging sook.. Not saying there arnt any racists, You get them anywhere, But if you choose to self segregate of cause you'll feel alienated, Integrate in to the society you choose to move in to, Dont expect them to do you any favors

 

[CriticalThought]

Nothing but a bloody whinging sook.. Not saying there arnt any racists, You get them anywhere, But if you choose to self segregate of cause you'll feel alienated, Integrate in to the society you choose to move in to, Dont expect them to do you any favors

Agreed. You need a sharp wit, a big heart, and a creative tongue for difficult people. Much better than requiring a gun in Pakistan to save oneself on the streets of Karachi. There are good and bad everywhere. The experience someone get depends on the person himself.