Usman Khawaja has confirmed that the Sydney Ashes Test will be the final match of his international career. The veteran batter will retire after the fifth Test of the series at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The left handed opener will play his 88th and last Test in the city where he grew up. He shared the news on Friday morning at the SCG. His parents, wife Rachel, and two children were present at the announcement.
Khawaja informed his Australia teammates just before their training session. This came two days before the final Test against England. He had stayed quiet about his future throughout the summer.
The senior batter turned 39 only two weeks ago. He now brings an end to a Test career that lasted 15 years. The Sydney Test will give him a home farewell in front of familiar faces.
Khawaja leaves the game as one of Australia’s top run scorers. If he scores 30 more runs in his final Test, he will move past Michael Hussey’s tally of 6,235 runs. That would place him 14th on the list of Australian men Test run scorers.
His impact goes beyond runs. As Australia’s first Muslim Test cricketer, Khawaja spoke openly against racism. He also pushed for better chances for players from south Asian backgrounds.
The SCG holds special meaning for him. Khawaja was born in Islamabad before moving to Sydney as a child. He watched matches at the ground while growing up. He later made his first class debut there in 2008 and his Test debut in 2011.
Khawaja ends his Test career with 16 centuries. He stands among only 18 Australians to score more than 15 Test hundreds. He also played 49 limited overs matches for Australia and scored two ODI centuries.
