Having touched down in Australia at the tender age of four, Khwaja stormed into international cricket in 2011, making waves as a formidable player. Notably, he etched his name as the first Australian of Pakistani heritage to don the jersey for the six-time ODI World Cup champions.
Usman Khwaja on his connection with Pakistan
Khawaja reflected on the sentimental significance of scoring a Test hundred in Karachi against Pakistan in 2022, acknowledging the nostalgia it holds for his father, who grew up in the Asian nation. Despite his deep love for Australia, the latter emphasized the importance of recognizing and appreciating his roots, with his father’s cricketing heroes from Pakistan, such as Javed Miandad and Zaheer Abbas, leaving a lasting impact on his cricketing memories.
“My dad (Tariq), he obviously grew up in Pakistan and supported Pakistan in cricket and would have been about 40 when we emigrated. I am sure for him there is a bit of nostalgia when I play Pakistan. So me getting a Test hundred in Karachi, that was really special. That meant a lot. I love Australia, but I never forget where I came from. Some of my dad’s heroes were Pakistani cricketers. He talks a lot about Javed Miandad, probably his favourite batsman, and Zaheer Abbas,” Khwaja said as quoted while saying to AAP.
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‘It will be tough’: Khwaja on upcoming series against Pakistan
Speaking on the forthcoming series, Khawaja underscored the formidable challenge posed by Pakistan’s bowling attack, particularly praising bowlers like Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali. He also noted the skillfulness of Faheem Ashraf and weighed up on the importance of the Shan Masood-led side‘s batting hold-up in Australian conditions for a competitive performance.
“It will be tough. People always want to discard Pakistan but that bowling attack is tough work,” Khawaja said. “Shaheen Shah Afridi is a world class bowler opening up. Then you have Hasan Ali who has been a stalwart for them for a long time and is very skilful. Faheem Ashraf is coming down here too and they have got a lot of spinners. The biggest thing for Pakistan is whether their batting can hold up in our conditions,” the 36-year-old added.
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