Usman Khawaja facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Usman Khawaja

Khawaja in January 2018
Personal information
Full name	Usman Tariq Khawaja
Born	(1986-12-18) 18 December 1986 (age 39) Islamabad, Pakistan
Nickname	Uzzie
Height	177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Batting	Left-handed
Bowling	Right-arm off break
Role	Top-order batter
International information
National side	Australia (2011–2026)
Test debut (cap 419)	3 January 2011 v England
Last Test	4 January 2026 v England
ODI debut (cap 199)	11 January 2013 v Sri Lanka
Last ODI	6 July 2019 v South Africa
ODI shirt no.	1
T20I debut (cap 80)	31 January 2016 v India
Last T20I	9 September 2016 v Sri Lanka
T20I shirt no.	1
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2007/08–2011/12	New South Wales
2011–2012	Derbyshire
2011/12–2021/22	Sydney Thunder
2012/13–2025/26	Queensland
2014	Lancashire
2016	Rising Pune Supergiant
2018	Glamorgan
2021	Islamabad United
2022/23–present	Brisbane Heat
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 88 40 229 133 Runs scored 6,229 1,554 15,589 5,494 Batting average 42.95 42.00 43.18 45.03 100s/50s 16/28 2/12 43/74 14/32 Top score 232 104 232 166 Balls bowled 18 – 174 – Wickets 0 – 1 – Bowling average – – 111.00 – 5 wickets in innings – – 0 – 10 wickets in match – – 0 – Best bowling – – 1/21 – Catches/stumpings 68/– 13/– 181/– 49/–
Medal record Men's cricket Representing  Australia ICC World Test Championship Winner 2021-2023 Runner-up 2023–2025 {{{3}}}
Source: ESPNCricInfo, 23 March 2026

Usman Tariq Khawaja (Urdu: عثمان خواجہ; born 18 December 1986) is a talented Australian cricketer. He played for the Australian national team in all types of cricket from 2011 until his international retirement in 2026. Usman is known for his left-handed batting style. He currently captains the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League. Before that, he played for New South Wales and Queensland, even becoming captain for Queensland.

Usman Khawaja: An Australian Cricket Star

Early Life and Cricket Journey

Usman Khawaja was born in Islamabad, Pakistan. His family moved to New South Wales, Australia, when he was four years old. He made history as the first Australian of Pakistani background to play cricket for Australia. This happened during the 2010–11 Ashes series. Before becoming a Test cricketer, Usman studied aviation at the University of New South Wales. He even earned his pilot's license before his driver's license! He attended Westfields Sports High School. Usman married his wife, Rachel, on 6 April 2018. He holds citizenship for both Australia and Pakistan.

Standing Up for What's Right

Usman Khawaja is known for speaking up about important issues. In December 2023, he wanted to wear messages supporting human rights on his shoes. The ICC has rules about what players can wear. Usman respected these rules but also asked for fairness in how they are applied to all players. He believes in equality and freedom for everyone.

Playing for Teams: Domestic and T20 Cricket

Khawaja in 2011

Usman Khawaja is a left-handed top-order batsman. He was recognized as a talented young player early on. In 2005, he was named Player of the Australian Under-19 Championship. He also played for Australia in the 2006 U-19 Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka.

Early Career Highlights

Usman started his first-class career with the New South Wales Blues in 2008. He even hit two double centuries in a row for the NSW Second XI, which was a rare achievement. In 2010, he was part of the Australian squad to play Pakistan in England.

Big Bash League Success

From 2011 to 2022, Usman played for the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League. He helped them win the 2015–16 Big Bash League season. He was named 'man of the match' in the final for scoring 70 runs. Usman also played county cricket in England for teams like Derbyshire and Lancashire. In 2015, he became the captain of the Queensland cricket team. He led them to win the 2020–21 Sheffield Shield title. In 2022, Usman joined the Brisbane Heat and became their captain.

Representing Australia: International Career

Test Debut and Early Challenges

Usman Khawaja was chosen for the Australian squad for the 2010–11 Ashes series. He made his Test debut on 3 January 2011 against England in Sydney. This was a special moment as he became the 419th Australian Test cricketer. He was also the first Muslim and first Pakistani-born Australian to play Test cricket for Australia. In March 2013, Usman faced a challenge when he was briefly suspended from the team. This was due to a breach of team discipline. He returned to Test cricket later that year during the 2013 Ashes series.

Amazing Comeback and Record-Breaking Scores

On 5 November 2015, Usman scored his first Test century against New Zealand. He made an impressive 174 runs, helping Australia win. He also made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut for Australia in January 2016. Usman showed great form during the 2015–16 season. He became known for his strong batting. He also set a record as the first batsman to score a Test century in a Day-Night Test match in Australia.

Khawaja celebrates after scoring a century against South Africa in Adelaide (2016).

In December 2016, he played his first Test match against Pakistan, the country where he was born. He even joked about almost walking into the wrong change room! In April 2018, Usman played a match-saving innings against Pakistan in Dubai. He scored 141 runs under pressure, earning him the 'player of the match' award. This performance showed his improved technique against spin bowling. He was part of Australia's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. Unfortunately, he got injured during the tournament.

Memorable Moments in the Ashes

Usman made a fantastic return to international cricket in January 2022. He played in the 4th Ashes Test and scored centuries in both innings of the match. This was a rare and amazing achievement! Later that year, he toured Pakistan with the Australian team. He was the highest run-scorer in that series, making 496 runs. His excellent performance earned him the 'player of the series' award. In January 2023, Usman reached 4000 Test runs and scored his career-best of 195 runs against South Africa. For his outstanding comeback, he won the Shane Warne Test Player of the Year award in 2023. He also received the Community Impact Award.

Usman continued his great form in the 2023 Ashes series in England. He was the highest run-scorer for both teams, with 496 runs. In the first Test, he scored his first Test century on English soil, making 141 runs. He was named 'player of the match' for his crucial batting. Usman also achieved a special milestone in that match. He became only the second Australian batsman to bat on all five days of a Test match. During the series, there were some disagreements with fans in the stands. Usman spoke about how important it is for crowds to show respect. He finished the series with a much-improved record in England, proving his critics wrong. His steady batting style was a key part of Australia's success in retaining the Ashes.

Post Ashes 2023 Performance

After the 2023 Ashes, Usman faced some tough challenges against India in 2024–25. He found it difficult to score runs against their main bowler, Jasprit Bumrah. However, Usman played a vital innings of 41 runs in the final Test. This helped Australia win the series and secure a spot in the 2025 ICC World Test Championship final. In January 2025, Usman found his excellent form again during a tour to Sri Lanka. He scored his first Test century since 2023. He then went on to achieve his first-ever double century in Test cricket, scoring 232 runs! This made him the second-oldest Australian to score a Test double century. He also set a new record for the highest score by an Australian in Sri Lanka. Usman and Steve Smith also made a record-breaking partnership of 266 runs. On 2 January 2026, Usman announced his retirement from international cricket. His last match was the fifth Ashes Test in January 2026.

Career Achievements and Milestones

Usman Khawaja has achieved many great things in his cricket career. He has scored 16 centuries in Test matches and two in One Day Internationals. A century is when a batsman scores 100 runs or more in one innings. His highest Test score was 232 runs against Sri Lanka in January 2025. His highest ODI score was 104 runs against India in March 2019.

• Wisden Cricketers of the Year: 2024
• ICC Men's Test Cricketer of the Year: 2023
• Shane Warne Men's Test Player of the Year: 2023
• ICC Men's Test Team of the Year: 2022, 2023
• Australian Domestic Player of the Year: 2011

International Centuries

Test Centuries

List of Test centuries scored by Usman Khawaja

No.	Score	Opponent	Pos.	Venue	Date	Result	Ref
1	174	New Zealand	3	The Gabba, Brisbane	5 November 20151	Won
2	121	New Zealand	3	WACA Ground, Perth	13 November 2015	Drawn
3	144	West Indies	3	Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne	26 December 2015	Won
4	140	New Zealand	3	Basin Reserve, Wellington	12 February 2016	Won
5	145	South Africa	1	Adelaide Oval, Adelaide	24 November 2016	Won
6	171	England	3	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	12 January 2018	Won
7	141	Pakistan	2	Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai	7 October 2018	Drawn
8	101*	Sri Lanka	3	Manuka Oval, Canberra	1 February 2019	Won
9	137	England	5	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	5 January 2022	Drawn
10	101*
11	160	Pakistan	2	National Stadium, Karachi	12 March 2022	Drawn
12	104*	Pakistan	1	Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore	21 March 2022	Won
13	195*	South Africa	1	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	4 January 2023	Drawn
14	180	India	2	Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad	10 March 2023	Drawn
15	141	England	2	Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham	16 June 2023	Won
16	232	Sri Lanka	1	Galle International Stadium, Galle	30 January 20251	Won

One Day International Centuries

List of ODI centuries scored by Usman Khawaja

No.	Score	Opponent	Pos.	Venue	Date	Result	Ref
1	104	India	2	JSCA International Stadium, Ranchi	8 March 2019	Won
2	100	India	1	Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi	13 March 2019	Won