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Usman Khawaja

USMAN KHAWAJA (6631350471)
USMAN KHAWAJA (6631350471) Image: Wikimedia Commons. NAPARAZZI / CC BY-SA 2.0

Overview

Usman Tariq Khawaja (born 18 December 1986) is a former Australian international cricketer who represented the Australia national cricket team across all three formats between 2011 and 2026. A left-handed batter, he spent the majority of his international career batting at No. 3 or opening the innings. He continues to play and captain the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League.

Key facts

Full name Usman Tariq Khawaja
Date of birth 18 December 1986
Batting style Left-handed
International career 2011–2026
Domestic teams New South Wales (2007–2012), Queensland
T20 franchise Brisbane Heat (current captain); previously Sydney Thunder (2011–2022)
Test debut January 2011, for Australia
First-class debut 2008, for New South Wales
Major honour ICC Test Cricketer of the Year (2023)

Background

Khawaja made his first-class debut for New South Wales in 2008, having played domestic cricket for the state from 2007 to 2012. He subsequently moved to Queensland, where he later became state captain.

Domestic and franchise career

Khawaja captained Queensland in first-class cricket from 2015 to 2024, leading the side to the 2020–21 Sheffield Shield title while batting at No. 4. Earlier, he had opened the batting and scored a century in the final of the 2013–14 Ryobi One-Day Cup, winning the man-of-the-match award as Queensland claimed the trophy.

In the Big Bash League, he represented the Sydney Thunder from 2011 to 2022, winning the 2015–16 BBL season. He top-scored with 70 in the final and was named man of the match. He has also played county cricket in the United Kingdom, and had brief stints in the Indian Premier League and the Pakistan Super League.

International career

Khawaja made his international debut for Australia in January 2011. He played One Day International cricket sporadically between 2013 and 2019, while his Twenty20 International career was confined to a single season in 2016. He featured in the 2016 T20 World Cup and the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

He was a member of the Australian side that won the 2021–2023 ICC World Test Championship, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer of the cycle with 1,621 runs — the most by any Australian batter in that period. In 2023, he was named the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year.

Retirement

On 2 January 2026, Khawaja announced his retirement from international cricket, with the decision to take effect at the conclusion of the fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He officially retired from international cricket on 8 January 2026.

Significance

Across a 15-year international career, Khawaja established himself as a leading top-order batter for Australia, particularly in Test cricket, where his form during the inaugural and second World Test Championship cycles played a notable role in Australia's success. His domestic captaincy of Queensland and franchise leadership at the Brisbane Heat have made him an influential figure in Australian cricket beyond the international stage.

References