Australia batter calls time on 15-year international career after Ashes series finale

Usman Khawaja retires from international cricket

At a press conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground this morning, Khawaja said, "I'm here to announce today that I will be retiring from all international cricket after the SCG Test match [starting on January 4]. God, through cricket, has given me far more than I ever imagined. He's given me memories I'll carry forever, friendships that go well beyond the game and lessons that shaped me, who I am off the field."

The Sydney Test, the fifth and final of the ongoing Ashes series, will be Khawaja's 88th at the venue of his Test debut, where he batted at No.3, scoring 37 and 21 even as Australia lost by an innings and 83 runs. Sydney was also where he made a comeback to Australia's Test team after over two years out of the side, scoring twin tons against England in January 2022.

In an on-and-off Test career, he occupied every position from No.1 to No.6 in the order. In the ongoing series, Khawaja was slated to open before injury prevented him from doing so in the first Test. Travis Head opened with Jake Weatherald to make a new pair at the top, and when Khawaja returned to the side at Adelaide in Steve Smith's absence, he made 82 and 40 from No.4.

Khawaja: Annoyed me that people thought I was selfish

He admitted he had been thinking about retirement for a while. "I guess the most frustrating part for me was, whether it's the media or past players, particularly in the last few years, attacking me about retiring. It felt like attacking, it was disappointing.

"I could've retired anytime in the last few years. I was happy to, there was no issue. But obviously [Australia coach] Andrew McDonald and [selector] George Bailey saw my value in opening the batting at the top. Even last year, I said to McDonald, 'If at any stage right now, you want me to retire, I will retire straightaway. I have no issue. I'm not hanging on for myself.'

"That was the most annoying thing, I felt people were coming at me, they were saying I was selfish for staying on. Andrew McDonald practically said, 'No. I want you to stay, we need you for Sri Lanka and the World Test Championship [in 2025], I want you to stay on.'"

As Australia's first Muslim Test cricketer, Khawaja also stressed the importance of his background, and wanting to be an inspiration for the youth of today: "I'm a proud Muslim, coloured boy from Pakistan who was told he would never play for the Australian cricket team – look at me now."

In addition to what will become 88 Tests, Khawaja also played 40 ODIs and nine T20Is for Australia.

Usman Khawaja: Record in international cricket

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