Usman Khawaja

Usman Tariq Khawaja arrived in the world on December 18, 1986, in Islamabad. This left-handed batter grew up far from Australian soil yet became a cornerstone of their national side for over a decade. He represented Australia across all formats between 2011 and 2026, establishing himself as a reliable presence at the top or middle order of the lineup. Even after stepping away from international duty, he kept his skills sharp playing for the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League. His domestic journey began with New South Wales in 2007, where he made his first-class debut in 2008. After five seasons there, he moved to Queensland, eventually taking the reins as state captain. Under his leadership, the team secured the 2020–21 Sheffield Shield title while he batted at number four. Earlier in his career, he opened the batting for Queensland during the 2013–14 Ryobi One-Day Cup final, scoring a century and earning man of the match honors. His club cricket resume also includes stints with the Sydney Thunder, where he helped them win the 2015–16 Big Bash League season with a crucial 70-run knock in the final. He has also played county cricket in the United Kingdom and briefly joined tournaments in India and Pakistan. Khawaja's international path saw him play ODI matches sporadically from 2013 to 2019 and participate in the T20I format during 2016. He featured in both the 2016 T20 World Cup and the 2019 Cricket World Cup. However, it was in Test cricket that he truly shone. He played a pivotal role in the squad that won the 2021–2023 ICC World Test Championship. During that tournament, he accumulated 1,621 runs, making him the highest-scoring Australian batsman and the second-highest overall. His excellence earned him the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year Award in 2023. The series concluded with Australia winning the Ashes 4-1 against England. Khawaja announced his retirement before the fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, bidding farewell after the victory. In November 2026, controversy surfaced when Khawaja published an autobiography titled Sabr. In the book, he alleged that the Australian team used sandpaper at Port Elizabeth during the 2018 series and claimed every touring party member knew about the plan. He stated he wrote this account because he felt it was the moral thing to do.[edit]