Usman Khawaja declines interview with Australian radio in protest of journalist's sacking for pro-Gaza post; CA react
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Khawaja, who scored a steady 47 runs on the opening day of the first Test against the West Indies at Kensington Oval, was approached after stumps by team media manager Cole Hitchcock to record an interview with SEN commentators Adam Collins and Bharat Sundaresan. However, Khawaja respectfully declined, telling the broadcasters he would not be participating.
The situation said the decision stemmed from Khawaja's objection to Lalor's abrupt removal from SEN's cricket coverage in February 2025, during Australia's tour of Sri Lanka. Lalor's dismissal reportedly followed internal concerns over his social media activity, which included reposts highlighting Israeli airstrikes on Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners.
The move drew criticism at the time, including from Khawaja, who publicly defended Lalor via Instagram, writing:
'Standing up for the people of Gaza is not antisemitic nor does it have anything to do with my Jewish brothers and sisters in Australia, but everything to do with the Israeli government and their deplorable actions... Pete is a good guy with a good heart. He deserves better.'
Khawaja's decision not to speak with SEN on Wednesday is seen as a continuation of that stand. While declining the interview, he is understood to have apologised directly to Collins and Sundaresan, making it clear his issue was not with the commentators themselves but with the network's handling of Lalor's departure. Khawaja won't face any action from Cricket Australia
The report adds that Khawaja is unlikely to face any vacation from Cricket Australia (CA) as Media obligations during a match or immediately after play are optional, and players are permitted to decline them at their discretion.
Lalor, who is currently covering the series for Cricket Et Al, expressed gratitude for the gesture.
'Usman is a man of principle whose support I valued greatly when I was dismissed and whose ongoing support I appreciate,' Lalor said in a statement.
In a detailed post earlier this year, Lalor revealed the circumstances surrounding his dismissal, stating that SEN CEO Craig Hutchison told him his social media activity had drawn complaints and that some listeners felt 'unsafe' hearing his voice on air.
'I was told there were accusations I was antisemitic, which I strongly objected to,' Lalor wrote. 'I said I didn't want anyone to feel unsafe. Of course I care... But so is Gaza. It's an awful situation.'
Hutchison was present at the ground in Barbados on day one, hosting sponsors, but has not commented publicly on Khawaja's protest.
SEN is the only Australian broadcaster covering the West Indies tour on the ground, with ABC Radio absent from the Caribbean for this series.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
41 minutes ago
- Time of India
Izz al-Din al-Haddad is Hamas' new de facto chief in Gaza
As the US presses for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the militant group's decision will largely hinge on its new de facto chief in the Gaza Strip. The commander, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, took over the military wing in Gaza after Israeli forces killed Mohammed Sinwar, according to a senior Middle Eastern intelligence official and three Israeli defence officials. On Thursday, Brig Gen Effie Defrin, the Israeli military's spokesperson, said that al-Haddad was Hamas' new chief. Al-Haddad, who is in his mid-50s, helped plan the Hamas-led attack on Oct 7, 2023, the officials said. He is believed to be in firm opposition to Israeli efforts to dislodge Hamas from power, suggesting that he could block any push to release all remaining hostages before an end to the war in Gaza and a withdrawal of Israeli troops. Al-Haddad is thought to be based in Gaza City, his hometown. He is believed to have said in recent weeks that he will either achieve an "honorable deal" to end the war with Israel or else the war will become "a war of liberation or a war of martyrdom," the Middle Eastern intelligence official said. Since the Oct 7 attack, al-Haddad has been the only senior Hamas commander to give an on-the-record interview, appearing in an Al Jazeera documentary that aired in Jan.
India Today
44 minutes ago
- India Today
Was treated like cattle: Newlywed bride recounts 140 days in ICE custody
A newlywed Palestinian woman from Texas says she was treated like 'cattle' during 140 days in the US immigration detention after returning from her honeymoon. 22-year-old Ward Sakeik, who is stateless and married to a US citizen, was taken into custody by ICE at Miami International Airport in February and has now spoken publicly for the first time since her was just coming back from my honeymoon with my husband,' Sakeik said during an emotional press conference held Thursday in Dallas-Fort Worth. 'Instead, I was shackled, handcuffed for 16 hours without food or water, and moved around like cattle.'Sakeik, who has lived in the United States since she was eight years old and is married to US citizen Taahir Shaikh, said she and her husband purposely chose the US Virgin Islands for their honeymoon to avoid complications with international travel due to her pending green card application. Despite those precautions, she was detained upon return, still wearing her wedding ring and carrying paperwork outlining her immigration Department of Homeland Security defended its handling of the case, with Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stating, 'Any claim that there is a lack of food or subprime conditions at ICE detention centers are false. All detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment, and the opportunity to communicate with family and lawyers.'Sakeik dismissed those claims. 'There were days I couldn't call my attorney or my husband for over 36 or even 50 hours,' she said. 'No phone calls were offered. I had to wait and find ways to delay just to access a working phone.'ICE attempted to deport her twice, most recently on June 30, both times in violation of federal court orders, according to her legal team. The first attempt, on June 12, involved escorting her to a tarmac at Fort Worth Alliance Airport and informing her she was being sent to 'the border of Israel,' despite her stateless status. She was born in Saudi Arabia but holds no citizenship in any country.'I didn't choose to be stateless,' she said. I've followed every immigration process since I was a child. I've built my life here, went to college, and started a small wedding photography business in Texas.'The government claims Sakeik has been under a final removal order for over a decade, and that her presence in the US is unlawful. 'Ward Sakeik was not complying with immigration policies,' McLaughlin said. 'She overstayed her visa and has been subject to removal since her family's asylum claim was denied.'Advocates, however, argue her treatment reflects broader problems with the Trump administration's intensified immigration policies during his second term. Over 100,000 people have already been deported this year, and ICE detention deaths are rising—12 confirmed since October 2024 alone. Critics accuse the administration of criminalizing undocumented individuals regardless of their unique says she lost more than just time behind bars. 'I lost five months of my life. My humanity was stripped away. I was criminalized simply for being stateless and newly married.'Now reunited with her husband, she says she is determined to speak out for others who remain voiceless in the system. 'The America I believed in growing up isn't the America I experienced in detention,' she said.- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Israeli strike kills 20 in Gaza; Trump says expects Hamas reply to truce proposal soon
TEL AVIV/CAIRO: At least 20 Palestinians were killed on Friday in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, according to local health officials, as US President Donald Trump said he expected Hamas to respond to his "final proposal" for a ceasefire in Gaza in the next 24 hours. Health officials at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, said the Israeli military had carried out an airstrike on a tent encampment west of the city around 2am, killing 15 Palestinians displaced by nearly two years of war. Five were killed in northern Jabalia, medics said. The Israeli military had no immediate comment. Later on Friday, Palestinians gathered to perform funeral prayers before burying those killed overnight. "The ceasefire will come, and I have lost my brother? There should have been a ceasefire long ago before I lost my brother," said 13-year-old Mayar Al Farr as she wept. Her brother, Mahmoud, was among those killed. Adlar Mouamar said her nephew, Ashraf, was also killed. "Our hearts are broken. We ask the world, we don't want food. ..We want them to end the bloodshed." Trump earlier said it would probably be known in 24 hours whether Hamas has accepted a ceasefire between the Palestinian militant group and Israel. On Tuesday, Trump announced Israel had accepted the conditions needed to finalise a 60-day ceasefire with Hamas. Hamas, which has previously declared it would only agree to a deal for an end to the war, has said it was studying the proposal. reuters (This is a Reuters story)
