Last Updated on 4 months ago by Charbel Coorey
Usman Khawaja has announced his retirement from international cricket. The fifth and final Ashes Test at the SCG will be his last, 15 years after he made his debut at the same venue.
Khawaja fronted the media on Friday morning. His extended family was in the room, including wife Rachael, his two children, and parents.
“It’s been tough – I’ve just wanted to tell everyone,” Khawaja said at the SCG, as quoted by cricket.com.au.
“I told teammates just then – I didn’t think I’d get emotional but I teared up straightaway and I had to compose myself. I finally composed myself and got out what I wanted to say.
“I never thought I’d be the guy that would cry when he retired but I cried straightaway. It just shows what it means to me. My journey has been different to a lot of cricketers in the Australian cricket team. All that emotion built up.”
Usman Khawaja announces retirement: Fans react
Khawaja enters his final match with 87 Tests and 6,206 runs under his belt at an average of 43.39. He is currently 15th on the list of all-time run-scorers for Australia in men’s Tests, and needs 30 more to surpass Michael Hussey.
The SCG has been a special place for Khawaja. Not only did he make his debut at his home ground, he also struck twin hundreds in his comeback Test in the 2021-22 Ashes. That match kickstarted a successful run in the Test side where he played a number of fine knocks as opener, most notably in Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka.
Fans and former players sent their tributes to Khawaja and praised him on a fantastic career.
“Congratulations to @Uz_Khawaja on a fantastic career, well done for everything you have achieved. Congratulations to the family,” wrote Darren Lehmann on X (formerly Twitter).
“I’m a proud Muslim coloured boy from Pakistan who was told he would never play for the Australian cricket team – look at me now,” Khawaja said.
“I just want to be remembered as a humble cricketer who went out there and entertained, and (that) people enjoyed watching.”
Khawaja will continue to play in the Big Bash League for Brisbane Heat. He has also made himself available to be selected for Queensland’s Sheffield Shield team.
