Two fans were ejected from the Optus Stadium in Perth by the security staff during the fourth day of the first test between Australia vs Pakistan test, according to the Australian media reports. A banner was unfurled by two fans at the Justin Langer Stand, which was later confiscated after 10-15 mins at the time when Usman Khawaja was in the middle. It has been reported that the fans were chanting Pro-Palestinian slogans as well. The fans were later asked to leave the stadium.
Usman Khawaja’s Palestine Controversy
Usman Khawaja defended his cause by stating it was a humanitarian message, rather than political by not mentioning any country or territory. However, the ICC ruled the guidelines, “Players and team officials shall not be permitted to wear, display or otherwise convey personal messages on their clothing, equipment or otherwise, irrespective of whether such messages are affixed to clothing, equipment or otherwise and whether such messages are displayed or conveyed through the use of the specific clothing or other items (e.g. an armband) or by the use of words, symbol, graphic message, images or otherwise (“Personal Messages”) unless approved in advance by both the player or team official’s board and the ICC cricket operations department,” the ICC rules state.
Khawaja resorted to wearing a black armband during the match.
Match result
The match was dominated by Australia, and they crushed the visiting Pakistani squad by 360 runs. Local boy Mitchell Marsh was the man of the match. Australia dominated the first innings by posting 487 runs with the help of David Warner’s 164. In return, Pakistan managed only 271 runs, and couldn’t avoid the follow-on. However, Australia decided to bat rather than imposing a follow-on and scored 233 runs more in the second innings to give a mammoth total of 450 to Pakistan.
Pakistan found themselves nowhere in the chase and surrendered to the bowling unit of Australia at just 89 runs. Their poor show with the bat led them to extend their wait for a draw or a win on Australian soil since 1996.
Usman Khawaja scored 41 in the first innings, and an impactful innings of 90 in the second innings.
Israel-Palestine conflict
After the deadly Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, Israel manifested to destroy Hamas from Gaza, a territory of Palestine controlled and governed by Hamas. Gaza has been the base of constant attacks on Israel by intrusions, suicide bombings, missile attacks and abductions.
Since Israel launched the counter-attack, about 20,000 Palestinian casualties have been reported in Gaza, followed by the displacement of 85 per cent of Gaza’s population. Last week, 153 out of 193 countries voted for a resolution for imposing a ceasefire in Gaza at the United Nations General Assembly.