Veteran Australia batter Usman Khawaja has announced he will retire from international cricket after the upcoming fifth Ashes test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The Pakistan-born cricketer said he hoped his long test career is an inspiration for youngsters to have a “different” trajectory and for them to know that playing cricket for Australia is possible.
The top order batsman, who turned 39 last month, announced on Friday (January 2, 2026) that he would be retiring from international cricket after his 88th test, which will start on Sunday (January 4, 2026).
Khawaja made his test debut at the same ground in the final match of the 2010-11 Ashes series and has since scored 6,206 runs at an average of 43.39, including 16 centuries.
At the press conference he said, “I just want the journey for the next Usman Khawaja to be different. I want you to treat him the same, not have racial stereotypes of who they might be.”
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AP
Pakistani born Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja announced his retirement on January 2, 2026. He said he will retire from Tests after the last Ashes Test in Sydney on January 4, 2026.
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AP
Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja with his wife Rachel and daughters Aisha and Ayla after announcing that he will retire from international cricket following the fifth and final Ashes cricket test against England in Sydney, on January 2, 2026.
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AP
Usman Khawaja became the first Muslim and first Pakistani-born Australian player to play Test cricket for Australia, and only the seventh foreign-born cricketer to do so in the last 80 years.
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Reuters
Usman Khawaja batted for most of his test career at the top of the middle order but lost his spot in the side for the 2021-22 Ashes series to Marnus Labuschagne. He was, however, called up at the last minute when Travis Head contracted COVID ahead of the Sydney test and revived his career with centuries in both innings. After that, Khawaja moved up to form a successful opening partnership with David Warner, who retired from Test cricket after the SCG test two years ago.
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Reuters
Usman Khawaja made his test debut in Sydney in the final match of the 2010-11 Ashes series and has since scored 6,206 runs at an average of 43.39, including 16 centuries.
Photo:
Reuters
More than his runs, Usman Khawaja was a standard-bearer for diversity in Australian cricket given he was born in Pakistan before being raised in Sydney from the age of five. “I hope I’ve inspired many children along the way, particularly those who feel that they are different, those who feel that they don’t belong, or those others tell that they will never make it,” Khawaja told reporters at a press conference. “I felt all these things growing up and trying to be an Australian cricketer, but seeing is believing. And I’m here to tell you that you can do whatever you want. Just got to keep trying.
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AP
Australia’s Usman Khawaja sign autograph to fans after they won the third Ashes cricket test match against England in Adelaide on December 21, 2025. Usman Khawaja said “I’m a proud Muslim coloured boy from Pakistan who was told that he would never play for the Australian cricket team. Look at me now. You can do the same.”
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AP
Usman Khawaja said his treatment by the media after the back injury in Perth was proof that he was still treated differently to other players because of his background. “The way the media and the past players came out and attacked me… I copped it for about five days straight,” he recalled. “It was quite personal in terms of things like, ‘he’s not committed to the team. He was only worried about himself. He played this golf comp the day before.
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Reuters
In this Ashes series, he injured his back in the opener in Perth and missed the second test before initially being dropped from the team for the third in Adelaide. He was again recalled at the eleventh hour after Steve Smith suffered a bout of vertigo and, batting at number four rather than opening, scored 82 and 40 as Australia won by 82 runs to clinch the series and retain the urn.
Published – January 02, 2026 10:21 am IST
