Khawaja reprimanded by ICC for wearing black armband during first Pakistan Test

Usman Khawaja has been reprimanded by cricket's governing body for his armband protest during the first Test against Pakistan.

Khawaja had previously voiced his criticism of the ICC for what he perceived as censorship and reaffirmed his dedication to advocating support for civilians in Gaza. On his footwear, he had handwritten messages such as "Freedom is a human right" and "All lives are equal."

Khawaja wore a black armband in defiance of the ICC's ban on his planned shoe protest. Despite taping over messages on his shoes, he entered the field with the armband, violating ICC rules.

In response to his actions, the governing body cautioned him against displaying personal messages and issued a reprimand for the breach.

ICC regulations require players to seek permission before wearing armbands to avoid violating guidelines related to politics, religion, or race.

“Usman Khawaja has been charged for breaching Clause F of the Clothing and Equipment Regulations, which can be found on the ICC Playing Conditions page. The sanctions for a breach of the regulations are outlined in Appendix 2,” an ICC spokesperson said.

“Usman displayed a personal message (armband) during the 1st Test Match against Pakistan without seeking the prior approval of Cricket Australia and the ICC to display it, as required in the regulations for personal messages. This is a breach under the category of an “other breach” and the sanction for a first offence is a reprimand.”