Khawaja to challenge ICC reprimand, says armband was for bereavement

Usman Khawaja

Bewildered by the ICC's decision to reprimand him for wearing a black armband during the first Test against Pakistan, Australia's Usman Khawaja on Friday said he will contest the charge as he had told the governing body it was for a "personal bereavement".

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Khawaja had worn a black armband during Australia's 360-run win over Pakistan in Perth last week. He had arrived for a training session on December 13 with "all lives are equal" and "freedom is a human right" inscribed on his batting spikes and had reportedly planned to wear them during the inaugural Test. "The ICC asked me day two (of the Perth Test) what (the black armband) was for, I told them it was for a personal bereavement. I never ever stated it was for anything else," Khawaja told reporters.

"I respect the ICC and all the regulations they have, I will be asking them and contesting them - From my point of view, that consistency hasn't been done yet. The shoes were for a different matter, I'm happy to say that, but the armband [reprimand] made no sense to me," he added.

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