Usman Khawaja to retire from international cricket after SCG Test

Australian top-order batter Usman Khawaja announced his retirement from international cricket on Friday, January 3. Notably, his last international game will be the SCG Ashes 2025-26 Test against England, which starts on Sunday, January 4.

Khawaja initiated his Test career against England at the SCG in Sydney in 2011, and he would be playing his final Test at the same venue. Delving into the details of his numbers, in 87 Tests, he has amassed 6206 runs at an average of 43.39 with 16 centuries and 28 half-centuries.

"I lived just up the road from the SCG, on Cook Road, to be exact. And I'll never forget when I was younger, I saw Michael Slater drive in his red Ferrari. I couldn't believe my luck, I just saw a Test cricketer. And as a boy whose parents were barely scraping through and trying to provide for their kids in a little two-bedroom apartment, I thought, 'One day I'm going to be a Test cricketer, and one day I can drive whatever I want',” Khawaja said in an emotional retirement speech. 

"Never did I think that God would grant me such a wish. I'm here to announce today that I'll be retiring from all international cricket after the SCG Test match,” he added.

Notably, Khawaja was born in Islamabad, Pakistan, and was raised in Australia. He went on to become Australia’s first Pakistan-born and first Muslim Test cricketer. After announcing his retirement, Khawaja disclosed that he had considered retirement at several stages in the last two years.

"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 hope I repaid your sacrifice in leaving everything behind in Pakistan to come to Australia to give us kids a better life," he said while addressing his parents in his speech. Eighty-eight Test matches, Dad, is that enough? Okay (laughs),” he stated.

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