Usman Khawaja asked to remove dove logo from bat during first New Zealand vs Australia Test

Australia opening batter Usman Khawaja was on Saturday forced to remove a dove sticker from his bat on Day three of the first Test against New Zealand in Wellington. This comes a couple of months after the International Cricket Council (ICC) had rejected Khawaja’s appeal to display a dove logo on his bat during the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan last year, in order to raise awareness over the crisis in Gaza .

In the 19th over of Australia’s second innings on Saturday, Khawaja had asked for a replacement bat, and Matt Renshaw walked out to the field with a couple of options. Khawaja then selected a bat which had the dove logo holding an olive branch, but was forced to remove the sticker from the bat.

More from First Cricket News

BCCI defends decision to play vs Pakistan in Asia Cup months after Pahalgam attack: 'If we boycott...' 'Indian players share compassion and feeling of majority Indian public': Ten Doeschate on IND vs PAK clash

Earlier in the Pakistan series in December, Khawaja had been reprimanded for wearing a black armband during the Perth Test , although the 37-year-old later clarified that it was worn for a “personal bereavement”. Khawaja, however, had accused the ICC of double standards. “Merry Christmas everybody. Sometimes you just gotta laugh. CYA at Boxing Day!," Khawaja had written on social media with the hashtags “double standards” and “inconsistent”.

Impact Shorts

More Shorts

'Won't require surgery...': Real reason behind Jasprit Bumrah's absence from 5th Test revealed in new report

PCB bans players from WCL over India-Pakistan match controversy

Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley had however supported Khawaja. “The symbol of the dove is an universally recognised symbol of peace."

“That being said, the ICC have got their rules and think they explained their rationale really clearly and we respect that. What we’ve been really clear about is that we support Uzzie and all our players really to share what the what they believe over their own channels," Hockey had said.

Australia have set New Zealand a target of 369 to win the first Test. At the time of writing this report, the hosts were 88/3, with Rachin Ravindra (40*) and Daryl Mitchell (6*) unbeaten.