Australia’s veteran batter Usman Khawaja has confirmed he will retire from international cricket following the final Ashes Test in Sydney, bringing the curtain down on a remarkable 15-year career that blended class, resilience, and cultural impact.
Khawaja made the announcement at the SCG alongside his family, revealing he had informed his teammates shortly before training. The 39-year-old will play his 88th and final Test at the ground where his journey began in 2011, and where he famously reignited his career in 2022 with twin centuries against England.
Speaking emotionally at the press conference, Khawaja said:
“God, through cricket, has given me far more than I could imagine. He’s given me memories I’ll carry forever, friendships that go well beyond the game, and lessons that shaped who I am off the field.”
He added:
“I’m a proud Muslim coloured boy from Pakistan who was told he would never play for Australia — look at me now.”
Khawaja leaves the game as one of Australia’s most prolific modern-day run scorers, with over 8000 international runs, 16 Test centuries, and a World Test Championship title in 2023. His comeback story, returning at 35 to become ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year in 2023, remains one of Test cricket’s great chapters.
Usman Khawaja Career Stats:
- Tests 87* | Runs 6206 | Avg 43.39 | High 232 | 100s 16 | 50s 28
- ODIs 40 | Runs 1554 | Avg 42.00 | High 104 | 100s 2 | 50s 12 | SR 84.09
- T20s 9 | Runs 241 | Avg 26.77 | SR 132.41 | 50s 1
Beyond the numbers, Khawaja’s legacy will be remembered for his calm authority at the top of the order and his voice for inclusivity and equality in Australian cricket, becoming the country’s first Muslim Test cricketer and a powerful advocate for diversity in sport.
The left-hander will continue playing domestic cricket for Queensland and the Brisbane Heat in the BBL, but Sydney will host his final moment in Baggy Green, a farewell fitting for the man who dreamed of this stage as a young boy living near the SCG.
Reflecting on his journey, Khawaja said:
“I just want to be remembered as a humble cricketer who people enjoyed watching.”
Australian cricket, and cricket everywhere, surely will.
