Usman Khawaja
Usman Tariq Khawaja (born 18 December 1986) is an Australian cricketer. who is playing cricket for Australia since 2011 and who represents Australia and Queensland. Khawaja played his first international game for Australia in January 2011 after making his New South Wales first-class cricket debut in 2008. At the age of four, Khawaja moved to Australia with his family after being born in Pakistan. He has participated in Pakistan Super League and Indian Premier League for a short time each. He has also played county cricket in the United Kingdom.
Early And Personal Life
Khawaja was born on 18 December 1986 in Islamabad, Pakistan. When he was four years old, his family relocated to New South Wales. As he made his cricket debut during the 2010–11 Ashes series, he became the first Australian of Pakistani descent to represent Australia. Before flying in his first Test, he earned a bachelor’s degree in aviation from the University of New South Wales. He is a licenced commercial and instrument-rated pilot. Before getting his driver’s licence, he earned his basic pilot licence. He attended Westfields Sports High School for his education.
On December 14, 2016, Usman Khawaja shared on his Facebook page the news of his engagement. and then wed his bride Rachel on April 6, 2018. Prior to their wedding, Rachel Khawaja (formerly McLellan) converted to Islam.
| Name | Usman Tariq Khawaja |
| Born | 18 December 1986 in Islamabad, Pakistan. |
| Parent’s | |
| Education | UNSW Sydney, Westfields Sports High School |
| Sibling’s | Arsalan Khawaja, Nauman Khawaja |
| Occupation | Cricketer |
| Spouse | Rachel McLellan |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in |
| Weight | 68 Kg approx. |
| Nationality | Australian, Pakistani |
Career in Cricket
career in Domestic and T20
Khawaja, a top order left-handed batsman, was named Player of the Australian Under-19 Championship in 2005 and participated for Australia as an opening batsman in the 2006 U-19 Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka. For the New South Wales Blues, he made his first-class debut in 2008. He achieved a feat never before accomplished by a NSW player when he hit back-to-back double century for the NSW Second XI in the same year. Usman Khawaja was included in the Australian touring team for a two-match Test series against Pakistan in England, according to a 22 June 2010 announcement by Cricket Australia.
Khawaja played for the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League from 2011 to February 2022. He scored 345 runs in BBL 2005, ranking second, for an average of 172.50 runs per game. Khawaja committed to playing for Derbyshire during the 2011 English domestic campaign. He participated in four County Championship games, scoring a century (135) against Kent and batting an average of 39.87. After his time with the county, he played in five more Tests in 2011, making one half-century (65 against South Africa). After Australia’s home series against New Zealand, he was benched from the Test squad to make room for Shaun Marsh, who had just returned from injury.
Career International
Khawaja was chosen to play for Australia in the 2010–11 Ashes series along with a 17-man team. Ricky Ponting fractured his finger during the third Test, and Khawaja was selected as a backup in case Ponting did not heal in time. He was then chosen to play in the fifth Test match between Australia and England on January 3, 2011, in Sydney.
Khawaja is the 419th Australian to get an Australian Cricket Test baggy green hat on January 3, 2011. Khawaja became the eighth foreign-born cricketer to play Test cricket for Australia in the previous 80 years and the first Muslim and Pakistani-born Australian player to do so. Following a breach of discipline, Australia suspended Khawaja, James Pattinson, Shane Watson, and Mitchell Johnson prior to the third Test match against India in March 2013. The captain, Michael Clarke, explained that the penalty was decided as a result of Watson’s frequent transgressions, which caused him to fly back home and consider retiring from test play. A few ex-players expressed surprise at the management of the team’s choice. In the second Test of the 2013 Ashes series, Khawaja replaced Ed Cowan and made his Test comeback.
He achieved his first Test century in the first Test against New Zealand on November 5, 2015, his first Test in more than two years, scoring 174 with 16 fours and 2 sixes. He made this comeback in his eleventh Test, playing at the prized number three spot, and assisted Australia in a convincing victory.
On January 31, 2016, he played for Australia against India in his first Twenty20 international match.
