Usman Khawaja: A Journey of Perseverance and Success in Cricket | Biography of Usman Khawaja.

Usman Khawaja is a Pakistani-born Australian cricketer who is known for his stylish left-handed batting and agile fielding. He is one of the most talented batsmen in Australia's current cricket team and has been an integral part of their success in recent years. Khawaja has been praised for his patience, discipline, and ability to build innings.

In this blog, we will take a closer look at Usman Khawaja's life and career. We will cover his early life, rise to fame, notable achievements, controversies, and more. So, let's dive in and learn about the journey of this talented cricketer.

Early Life and Education

Usman Tariq Khawaja was born on December 18, 1986, in Islamabad, Pakistan. His parents, Tariq and Fozia Khawaja, were both from Pakistan, but they migrated to Australia when Usman was five years old. They settled in Sydney, where Usman grew up and started playing cricket at a young age.

Khawaja attended Westfields Sports High School in Fairfield, New South Wales, where he played cricket and other sports. He showed great promise as a cricketer and was selected for the New South Wales Under-17 and Under-19 teams.

After completing high school, Khawaja enrolled in the University of New South Wales to study aviation. However, he put his studies on hold to pursue his cricket career.

Career

Domestic Cricket

Usman Khawaja made his first-class debut for New South Wales in 2008 and soon established himself as one of their top batsmen. He scored his maiden first-class century in his fifth match, against Tasmania, and continued to impress with his consistency.

Khawaja's performances earned him a call-up to the Australia A team, and he made his debut in 2010. He scored an unbeaten 73 in his first match and followed it up with a century in the next game.

International Cricket

Usman Khawaja made his international debut for Australia in the 2011 Ashes series against England. He struggled in his first few matches and was dropped from the team after the series.

However, Khawaja made a strong comeback and established himself as one of Australia's top batsmen in all formats of the game. He scored his maiden Test century against New Zealand in 2011 and went on to score several more centuries in Test cricket.

Khawaja has also played for Australia in One-Day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals. He was a part of Australia's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup, where he played a crucial role in their win against South Africa.

Notable Achievements

Usman Khawaja has had several notable achievements in his cricket career. Here are some of his major achievements:

• Khawaja is the first Muslim cricketer to play for the Australian cricket team.
• He has scored over 9,000 runs in first-class cricket, including 28 centuries and 43 half-centuries.
• Khawaja has scored eight Test centuries, with a highest score of 174.
• In the 2018-19 season, he was awarded the Allan Border Medal, which is Australia's highest individual cricketing honour.
• Khawaja has also played for several T20 franchises around the world, including the Sydney Thunder, Islamabad United, and Derbyshire.

Personal Life

Usman Khawaja is married to Rachel McLellan, whom he met while studying at the University of New South Wales. They got married in 2018 in a private ceremony in New South Wales. The couple had been dating for a few years before tying the knot. Rachel is a marketing professional and has worked in various industries such as finance, education, and government.

Khawaja is known for his love of travel, and has visited several countries around the world. He often shares pictures from his travels on his social media accounts. He is also an avid reader, and has spoken in interviews about his love for literature. Khawaja has mentioned that he enjoys reading books on history, philosophy, and biographies.

Apart from cricket, Khawaja is passionate about fitness and leads an active lifestyle. He has also been associated with various charitable causes. In 2019, he participated in a charity run to raise money for children's hospitals in Australia. Khawaja has also been vocal about issues of race and identity, and has spoken about the challenges he has faced as a Muslim and a person of colour in the world of cricket.

Khawaja has mentioned that he draws inspiration from his family, especially his parents, who have been a great support throughout his career. He has also spoken about the importance of his faith in his life, and how it has helped him stay grounded and focused on his goals.

In his free time, Khawaja enjoys spending time with his wife and their two dogs. He is also an avid fan of other sports, including tennis and basketball.

Controversies

Usman Khawaja has not been involved in any major controversies during his career. However, he has faced some criticism from fans and pundits at times for his performances on the field.

In 2018, Khawaja was left out of the Australian Test squad for the series against Pakistan in the UAE. This decision was met with surprise by some fans and experts, as Khawaja had been one of Australia's most consistent performers in Test cricket over the previous few years. However, the selectors decided to go with a younger squad for the series, which included the likes of Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head.

In 2019, Khawaja was involved in a minor controversy during the World Cup match against South Africa. He was dismissed for 18 runs after a mix-up with his partner, Alex Carey, which resulted in a run-out. Some fans and experts criticized Khawaja for his poor communication with Carey, which led to the dismissal.

Khawaja has also spoken out about issues of race and discrimination in cricket. In 2019, he wrote an opinion piece for PlayersVoice, in which he talked about the challenges he has faced as a Muslim and a person of colour in Australian cricket. He mentioned incidents of racism and prejudice that he had experienced during his career, and called for greater diversity and inclusivity in the sport.

Overall, while Khawaja has faced some minor controversies and criticism during his career, he has largely been a respected and admired figure in the cricketing world.