Australian opener Usman Khawaja has confirmed his retirement from all international cricket, announcing that the ongoing fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney
Cricket Ground (SCG) will be his final appearance in the Baggy Green.
The 39-year-old veteran, who has been a mainstay in Australia's Test lineup since his debut in 2011, made the emotional announcement during a press conference attended by his family, including his parents, wife Rachel, and two children.
Khawaja, the first Muslim player to represent Australia in Test cricket, reflected on a 15-year career that saw him play 87 Tests (set to become 88 after the SCG match), amassing 6,206 runs at an average of 43.39, including 16 centuries and a highest score of 232 against Sri Lanka in Galle.
His journey included highs like twin centuries in his 2022 Ashes comeback and pivotal contributions to Australia's 2023 World Test Championship victory, alongside challenges such as periods of selection inconsistency and a knee reconstruction. In an emotional address, Khawaja expressed gratitude for his career's blessings.
"God through cricket has given me far more than I could have imagined," he said.
"He's given me memories I'll carry forever, friendship that goes well beyond the game, and lessons that shaped me, who I am, off the field. "
He paid tribute to his family's sacrifices: "But no career belongs to one person. I obviously had a lot of help. To my parents, who are over there, thank you for your sacrifices that never made the highlights reel. "
"And I'll never forget when I was younger, I saw Michael Slater drive in his red Ferrari. I couldn't believe my luck. I just saw a Test cricketer. And as a boy, whose parents were barely scraping through in trying to provide for their kids in a little two-bedroom apartment, I thought, 'One day, I'm going to be a Test cricketer and one day I can drive whatever I want. '"
The Southpaw has also played 40 ODIs and 9 T20Is, with 8000+ runs across all formats in international cricket.
