Australia opener Usman Khawaja had to remove the dove logo from his bat during the first Test against New Zealand. The incident occurred on the third day of the match at the Basin Reserve in Wellington when Khawaja cracked his bat, requiring a replacement. As the substitute brought in options, Khawaja chose a new bat but had to remove the human rights sticker featuring a dove holding an olive branch.
This isn’t the first time Khawaja faced such a situation. In December, during a Test against Pakistan, the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected his application to display the dove symbol on his bat to raise awareness for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The ICC charged Khawaja for donning a black armband during the series opener, citing a breach of equipment regulations. However, Khawaja clarified that it was due to a “personal bereavement.”
Despite the controversy, Khawaja received support from Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley and Australian captain Pat Cummins. Hockley mentioned that while the ICC has its rules, Cricket Australia supports players in expressing their beliefs through their channels. The symbol of the dove is widely recognized as a symbol of peace. Khawaja was dismissed for 28 runs on Day 3 of the Test against New Zealand.
