Australia’s opening batter, Usman Khawaja, is gearing up for the highly anticipated fourth Test of the 2023 Ashes series, set to take place at Old Trafford in Manchester from July 19 to 23. As the match approaches, Khawaja finds himself on the brink of a significant milestone in his Test career.
With an impressive total of 4,864 runs under his belt, Khawaja is closing in on the 5,000-run mark. The left-handed batter has been a consistent performer for Australia and has contributed significantly to the team’s success over the years.
In the opening Ashes Test at Edgbaston, Khawaja finally ended his decade-long wait for a century in England, scoring a magnificent 141 runs in the first innings. His stellar knock showcased his skill and determination, and it played a crucial role in Australia’s performance in that match.
Ahead of the fourth Test, Khawaja made an interesting revelation about his off-field contributions. He disclosed that he played a pivotal role in persuading the International Cricket Council (ICC) to revise its strict over-rate regulations, ultimately helping his teammates avoid substantial fines.
Reports indicate that the Pat Cummins-led Australian side was facing the prospect of heavy fines and point deductions in the World Test Championship (WTC) due to slow over-rates during the first three Ashes Tests. Recognizing the potential financial burden on the team, Khawaja took the initiative to contact the ICC’s general manager of cricket, Wasim Khan, to discuss the severity of the penalties.
In response to Khawaja’s concerns, the ICC decided to change its fine structure, capping the match fees at 50 percent of the players’ salaries. This alteration significantly reduced the potential fines imposed on the Australian team.
As a result of Khawaja’s intervention, the Australian team saved an estimated amount of $230,000 in fines, providing a welcome relief for the players and team management.
“I was pretty frustrated with what was happening,” Khawaja was quoted as saying to Fox Sports.
“I’m an ACA board member so do look at what’s around cricket. I just thought some has to find a way to speak to the ICC about it.
“We had played three games and they’d been three really good games with results, entertainment, the WTC (final) was the highest-watched Test match ever or something like that, and we were getting fined 80 per cent of our match fee. I felt I needed to speak and Wasim was really good, got him on text, called him, we talked. He took the feedback.”
“(Pat Cummins) talked to him, Andrew McDonald talked to him and to his credit it wasn’t just listening and no action.
“They came back to us, there was a bit of compromise,” Khawaja added.
Over-rates have proven a frustrating issue in men’s cricket, with Test teams repeatedly struggling to complete 90 overs within the allocated six-and-a-half hours.
“We are trying to go as fast as we can,” the left-hander added further.
“It’s the conditions that make it hard for us. If you are in India we are never behind the over-rate, two spinners going at it. We were getting results, that’s what was frustrating.
“I think England were frustrated with it, too. Wasim Khan actually listening to the players, getting the feedback and finding the compromise, it’s the first time I’ve been involved that something like that has happened at ICC. I think it’s a really good step forward.”
Australian cricket fans eagerly await the upcoming Test at Old Trafford, where Khawaja and his teammates will look to build on their strong performances and maintain their dominance in the Ashes series.
