Usman Khawaja is one of Australia’s most elegant and resilient batters of the modern era — a trailblazer, a late-career powerhouse, and the first Australian cricketer of Pakistani origin and the first Muslim to wear the Baggy Green.
Across an international career spanning 88 Tests, 40 ODIs, and T20 appearances, Khawaja became renowned for his calm tempo, technical precision, and ability to anchor innings under extreme pressure. After debuting in the 2010–11 Ashes Test at the SCG, he went on to craft one of cricket’s most remarkable comeback stories, culminating in a stunning late-career surge that cemented him as a national great.
Khawaja officially retired from international cricket on 8 January 2026, following the conclusion of the Ashes 5th Test at the SCG, the very ground where his journey began.
Career Highlights
2023 ICC Test Cricketer of the Year
Khawaja dominated the 2021–23 World Test Championship cycle, scoring 1,621 runs — the most by any Australian — and finishing as the second-highest scorer globally.
World Test Champion (2023)
A key member of Australia’s victorious squad in the ICC World Test Championship Final.
Twin Centuries on Comeback (2022 SCG Ashes Test)
After two years out of the Test arena, Khawaja returned with back-to-back hundreds, instantly re-earning his place and rewriting the arc of his career.
Record-Breaking Pakistan & Sri Lanka Tours
Between 2022–2024, he became one of Australia’s most prolific subcontinent batters, scoring heavily against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and India — including: 496 runs in the 2022 Pakistan series
Double century (232) in Sri Lanka, becoming the second-oldest Australian to do so
Test centuries in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the UAE — a rare achievement
Ashes Heroics (2023 & 2025/26)
Delivered some of his finest performances in England, scoring a century at Edgbaston and topping the charts with 496 runs in the 2023 Ashes.
BBL Champion, 2015–16
As Sydney Thunder’s star performer, Khawaja scored two unbeaten centuries in the season and 70 in the final, earning Man of the Match and leading the franchise to its first title.
Domestic Leader
As captain of Queensland and Brisbane Heat, Khawaja guided teams through major tournament victories including the 2020–21 Sheffield Shield.
Early Life
Born in Islamabad and raised in Sydney from the age of four, Khawaja was the first Australian of Pakistani heritage to play international cricket. A standout scholar-athlete, he became a qualified commercial and instrument-rated pilot, earning his aviation degree from the University of New South Wales before making his Test debut.
International Career
Khawaja’s journey was defined by resilience: dropped multiple times through the 2010s, he rebuilt his game, earned a national contract, and later evolved into one of Australia’s most reliable Test batters. Known for his balanced temperament, textbook stroke play, and mastery against spin later in his career, Khawaja became a symbol of persistence at the elite level.
He featured in:
2016 T20 World Cup
2019 Cricket World Cup
Multiple Ashes series, including significant performances in 2013, 2019, 2023, and 2025/26
Personal Life
He is a dual citizen of Australia and Pakistan and is known for his outspoken humanitarian perspectives and commitment to social equality. His calm leadership and humility made him a respected figure both on and off the field.
Legacy
Usman Khawaja leaves behind a legacy of breaking cultural and sporting barriers, championing integrity and equality, reinventing himself to become one of the world’s elite Test batters. Inspiring generations of multicultural Australian cricketers.
His retirement at the SCG — a poetic full-circle ending — marked the close of one of Australian cricket’s most compelling careers.
Australia
