Pat Cummins: “I Don’t Think That’s…” Regarding Usman Khawaja’s “Dove Logo” Regarding the Gaza Crisis

Pat Cummins, the captain of Australia, defended colleague Usman Khawaja on Monday, stating that the opener’s effort to draw attention to the humanitarian situation in Gaza was “not offensive”. The International Cricket Council (ICC), which oversees cricket worldwide, has turned down Khawaja’s request to have a sticker of a black dove clutching an olive branch placed on his shoes and bat for the Boxing Day Test match against Pakistan.

Cummins said he doesn’t see any distinction between teammate Marnus Labuschagne’s eagle-emblazoned bat, which represents a particular religious message, and Khawaja’s shoe and bat logos, which promote awareness of humanitarian causes.

“We really believe in Uzzy. On the eve of the second Test at the MCG, Cummins told reporters, “I think he’s done it really respectfully. He’s standing up for what he believes.”

“As I said last week, ‘All lives are equal’, I don’t think that’s very offensive and I’d say the same about the dove.”

Cummins affirmed his 37-year-old colleague, who was born in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, saying, “That’s Uzzy. With the approach he’s taken, I believe he can really hold his head high.

“But clearly, regulations are in place, and the ICC, I think, has said that they would not accept it. You have to abide by the regulations that they have established.”

During Australia’s 360-run victory over Pakistan in Perth, Khawaja was banned from wearing boots bearing the slogans “All lives are equal” and “Freedom is a human right” in the colors of the Palestinian flag. As a result, the ICC chastised him for donning a black armband during the match.

In international cricket, Labuschagne has been permitted to put the sticker of an eagle, which stands for a biblical passage, on the back of his bats for a long time.

Khawaja spoke last week on how the Israel-Hamas conflict affected him.

“When I’m looking at my Instagram and seeing innocent kids, videos of them dying, passing away, that’s what hit me the hardest,” he said.

“I don’t have any agendas other than trying to shine a light on what I feel really passionately, really strongly about.”