• Source:JND
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Australia vs Pakistan 1st Test: Usman Khawaja had a band around his arm when he came out to bat in the first Test between Australia and Pakistan at the Perth Stadium on Thursday, December 14.

Khawaja was seen wearing a black armband while batting with his opening partner David Warner as Australia opted to bat first in the opening game of the three-match series.

It is to be noted that Khawaja had mentioned his plan to wear special shoes during the match with the message 'All Lives Matter' and 'Freedom is a Human Right' to solidarity for the people suffering in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

 

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However, he wasn't able to do so as the ICC prohibited such actions from taking place on the cricketing field.

As per reports, Khawaja is wearing the black armband to show a silent protest to the ICC. He also was seen wearing the controversial shoes as he stepped out to bat but decided to cover the slogans.

Khawaja wasn't left happy with ICC's decision to not allow him to take a stand and went on to say that he would keep challenging the apex body wherever possible.

"I will try to (challenge the ICC) as soon as possible, whenever it is possible," Khawaja said ahead of the match.

"There already has been a precedent set in the past that ICC have allowed. A precedent set where players have done stuff in the past where the ICC hasn't done anything.

"I find it a bit unfair that they have come down on me at this point in time where there definitely have been precedents in the past of similar things.

"I am a grown man I can do anything I want, but I think the ICC will keep coming down and giving me fines, and at some point, it will detract from the game.

"I stand by what I said, I will stand by that, I think forever. For me, I need to get out there and concentrate on what I am doing but it is right at the forefront of my mind."

Talking about the match, Australia were off to a brilliant start to their first innings as Warner and Khawaja stitched a 129-run partnership before the latter's wicket.

Khawaja scored 41 runs in 98 balls with the help of six boundaries before he was dismissed by Shaheen Afridi in the 30th over.

 

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Playing XIs:

Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Agha Salman, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Aamer Jamal, Khurram Shahzad