This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in 2021.

If You Missed THAT Awkward Usman Khawaja Moment... Um, Yeah

No. He did not need help opening the Pakistan locker rooms.
Here's hoping the scorers credit the avalanche of runs he'll no doubt score to Australia.
Cricket Australia/Getty Images
Here's hoping the scorers credit the avalanche of runs he'll no doubt score to Australia.

It wasn't a good look, but let's be honest, it could have happened to anyone ignorant of cricket. And to his enormous credit, Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja laughed it off.

Here's what this is all about. At a press conference ahead of the first Test between Australia and Pakistan in Brisbane, the left-handed Aussie batsman who was born in Islamabad, Pakistan, told an amusing story about a case of mistaken identity at The Gabba this week.

"Actually funnily enough, I was waiting downstairs and I needed the change room locker to be opened... and the Qld cricket lady came down and she's like 'oh you need the locker rooms opened' and I went 'yes please' and she started walking to the Pakistani change rooms."

Oops. Actually, make that double oops.

Oops because Khawaja asked for directions in a broad Aussie accent, which should have been enough of a giveaway, and double oops because he's captain of the Queensland state cricket team, which plays most of its home matches at The Gabba.

Yeah.

Khawaja moved to Australia before his fifth birthday. This is his first Test match against the team representing his country of birth. Interestingly, he said he hadn't thought about the match in those terms. He did, however, state that Pakistan is still "a very big part" of him.

"If I broke it down, the way I act and what I do is very Australian, but there's always parts of me [that are Pakistani]. When I talk to my parents, I try to speak Urdu with them here and there."

He also addressed the big question: Who would his parents be supporting as they sit down to watch the cricket this week?

"My parents are truly Australian now. They don't support Pakistan at all. They haven't for a long time now. They were there for 30 years but now they just want me to do well and want Australia to win every single time no matter who we're playing. There is no allegiance conflict at all."

Ussie is having a great season. This is the star Aussie batsman back in state cricket scoring a century as Queensland captain, while his Aussie teammates were off playing One Dayers against NZ.
Getty Images
Ussie is having a great season. This is the star Aussie batsman back in state cricket scoring a century as Queensland captain, while his Aussie teammates were off playing One Dayers against NZ.

In an interesting little add-on to the Khawaja tale, after Cricket Australia posted a video of the awkward press conference moment on Facebook, the dad of Gurindher Sandu -- a Sydney-born cricketer of Indian descent who has played two One Dayers for Australia -- posted a comment saying a similar thing had happened to him.

"I was asked to call the Indian management when I went to watch my son Gurinder Sandhu's debut so they could let us through the gate but when I explained to the official it was all sweet," Iqbal Sandhu wrote on Facebook.

As for why the "Queensland cricket lady" can't recognise the state captain, that's anyone's guess.

ALSO ON HUFFPOST AUSTRALIA

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia. Certain site features have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.