Picture Credit: Twitter
Life has come to a full circle for Usman Khawaja as the Pakistan-born cricketer will be playing in his mother country but against it. Being born in the subcontinent, Khawaja has always received love from its people. However, he left the country at the age of five years and now will return to fight them when Australia takes on Pakistan in the first Test on March 4.
The southpaw still has few of his family members back in the country and thus hopes for some support when Australia will be playing Pakistan in an all-format series. Khawaja also believes that it's God's act that he will be involved in such a unique fate. "There’s nothing saying that all this happened just so that I could go back to Pakistan. But I am a God-believing man and I do believe that fate comes from God," said Khawaja to The Guardian before departing.
He further talked about how he has received full support every time he has walked out to bat from subcontinent Australians as well as from all over the subcontinent. The Kangaroo cricketer is also hopeful of seeing his relatives in Karachi turn up at the stadium for the second Test. While hoping for some support, Khawaja also admitted that the Pakistanis will also hope for the Australians to get smashed.
"We’ve always had great support from Pakistan," says Khawaja. "I’m not sure how many of them (his relatives in Karachi) will be turning up, to be honest. I’m sure we’ll get some ticket requests closer to the date. But from all over the subcontinent I’ve always had great support. Even from the subcontinental Australians living over here [in Australia]. I don’t think it will be too different, I think they’ll still support me, but they’ll also be hoping that we get absolutely smashed," he added.
I was always along the line in terms of security: Khawaja
Khawaja also talked about the reports of Australian players worried about their safety in Pakistan. He revealed how Cricket Australia worked things to make players feel safe and when it was done, how he himself was along the line. "In terms of security, I was always along the lines of, well, if Cricket Australia is saying that it’s safe for us to go and everything’s alright, then it probably is," he stated.
He also praised Shane Watson for being so vocal about the safe environment back in Pakistan. "Shane Watson has been massive. As ACA President, he’s been very vocal in terms of all of his experience in Pakistan [playing in the Pakistan Super League] and how good it’s been," the 35-year-old said.