He might have wanted 100: Retiring Khawaja explains ‘88 Test matches…’ shout out to his dad
Sydney, Jan 4 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) Retiring Australian batter Usman Khawaja has paid tribute to his parents, crediting the sacrifices they made during his childhood as he reflected on a career that spanned 88 Test matches.
During a press conference on Friday, Khawaja announced his decision to retire from international cricket and gave a shout-out to his parents, Tariq and Fozia and jokingly asked his father, “88 Test matches, Dad, is that enough?”
On Sunday, Khawaja explained the remark before the fifth Test began at the SCG, revealing the deeper meaning behind the humour.
“He might have wanted 100, knowing Tariq. He literally uprooted our whole lives to come to Australia. We had decent lives in Pakistan. We had a decent, big house, Mum had a leisurely life over there, and he left all of that just to give us a better lifestyle over here.
“I remember when Mum was quite upset when moving to Australia and I never understood it when I was young, but now I get it. Her whole life got turned upside down,” Khawaja said.
Khawaja also spoke candidly about the early struggles his family faced after migrating to Australia, describing the financial and emotional challenges that followed.
Despite the difficulties, he said he remains profoundly grateful to his parents for the choices they made, which ultimately enabled him to represent Australia at the highest level for more than a decade.
“We struggled with coming to Australia at the start. The currency change was hard. Dad couldn’t find a new job. He didn’t have a job when he came here, so looking back on the sacrifices he made for us kids, I said to my Dad, ‘Is this enough?’ No Test match would have been enough, but my Dad just loves cricket, so every time I go out and play, I know I’m putting a smile on his face.
“It has been a ride. Even playing one Test was amazing but to do it for 15 odd years and 88 matches, it’s quite surreal. My journey has been up and down. It’s taken me quite a while to get those 88 matches, but I wouldn’t change it for the world,” he added.
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