A cyclone, Formula One appearance and hamstring injury: All about the selection controversy between Aussie star Usman Khawaja and Queensland Cricket | Cricket News

A cyclone, a formula one attendance and a hamstring injury. That’s what the controversy regarding Australian batsman Usman Khawaja missing his state team Queensland in the final round of the Sheffield Shield earlier this week was all about. The 38-year-old had been in disagreement with Queensland officials including Queensland Cricket general manager and former cricketer Joe Dawes and deputy chairman Ian Healy regarding his availability for the final round match. While the Australian batsman was named in Queensland’s team for the Sheffield Shield final to be played from March 26 on Friday, Khawaja made sure to answer back the feigning injury accusations.
The batsman had missed Queensland’s final round clash against South Australia at Karen Rolton Oval starting last Saturday citing a hamstring injury he had suffered during Queensland penultimate round match against Tasmanai, where he played knocks of 127 and 33 not out. While Khawaja said he had told Cricket Australia about his injury and attended the Melbourne Formula One Grand Prix over the weekend with the permission of Cricket Australia, Dawes had shared that he saw no reason for Khawaja’s absence. “That is my understanding from Cricket Australia staff as well. No hamstring issues as far as we are concerned. I go off our medical staff and there is no reason why he could not have played the last game. It’s just disappointing he didn’t play a game for Queensland when he had an opportunity to,” Dawes had told the media earlier this week.
Khawaja, who has played in 214 First Class matches during his career apart from playing 80 Tests, 40 ODIs and nine T20Is for Australia, shared how he had updated Cricket Australia about his injury. “Joey said that the medical staff had no idea (about the hamstring injury). That is 100 percent wrong. I’ve talked to both our physios. I was talking to the Australian physio the whole time. It’s on AMS, our athlete management system. My hammy is reported. Everything is there. Everyone knew about it. That was probably one of the most shocking things I heard. It was really disappointing, because it’s categorically untrue,” Khawaja told reporters on Friday.
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Khawaja, who last played for Australia in the second Test against Sri Lanka in February, had played for Queensland against Tasmania during the team’s nine-wicket win at Hobart. With Queensland needing a win or draw to book a spot in the Shield final in the last round game last week, Khawaja’s absence raised some eyebrows with him attending the Melbourne Grand Prix. “What we shouldn’t forget is when Usman makes a team and (is) in a game he is 100 per cent in. When he gets into the environment he is fine. It’s just this pick and choose mentality that has been evident in his later years that Queensland haven’t been happy with. I’m glad I didn’t have my television on (to see him at the F1). “Cricket Australia should feel a little under the pump with this … I spoke with them, and they weren’t aware of Queensland’s concerns with him not playing for Queensland, they wish we would have rung them earlier,” former Australian wicket-keeper and Queensland Cricket deputy chairman Healey told SEN Cricket earlier this week.
Khawaja meanwhile did answer the questions Healy had raised, while addressing reports on Friday. “I started hearing rumours and reports about me opting out and all the stuff. And I was actually really devastated. People started making up their own minds. Most disappointing, obviously, a board member started to attack me, which was really disappointing for me, because I feel like the board has a responsibility to the organisation and the players. The amount I’ve given to Queensland … you can tell I get a bit emotional, you give your heart and soul for this organisation,” said Khawaja.
The Australian batsman also talked about how he had left his family behind in Brisbane during Cyclone Alfred to play for Queensland against Tasmania earlier this month.
“Yes, I’m 38 years old and I’m getting a bit older and sometimes workloads come into it. I left my family before Cyclone Alfred was going to hit and we all talked about it. I sat down with my wife, and this is hand-on-heart the true story, and I was like, ‘I should stay, my family is in Sydney, your family is up the coast, I don’t want you to be home alone if something happens’. And she dead looked me in the face and said ‘Uzzie, Queensland Cricket has given you so much, you owe it to them to play, we’ve got great neighbours, they’ll look after me if anything happens… we’ll be fine’,” Khawaja said.