Usman Khawaja hits back after Aussies' champagne ban gets slammed
Usman Khawaja uses a simple photo to slam politician who unleashed on Aussie cricket stars for cancelling their champagne celebrations ‘because one of the team is a Muslim’
- Khawaja roasts UK politician Nigel Farage
- He had slammed alcohol-free celebrations
- Aussie retorted with a very clever photo
Muslim Aussie cricket star Usman Khawaja has brutally shut down criticism from a UK politician who slammed the World Test Champions for cancelling their champagne celebrations.
After Australia smashed India by 209 runs at The Oval in London to become the first country to win every ICC title, players celebrated accordingly with the eye-catching mace trophy.
And Khawaja partied as hard as anyone, it’s just that he didn’t do so drenched with champagne and drinking beer, because drinking or coming into contact with alcohol is strictly forbidden in Islam.
The New South Welshman, who was born in Pakistan but emigrated to Australia as a four-year-old, has a cheeky sense of humour and is one of the most popular figures in the Aussie side.
So it comes as no surprise that skipper Pat Cummins opted to cancel the traditional champagne showers when lifting the trophy to ensure his long-time teammate was included in the celebrations.
Usman Khawaja had the perfect response for a high-profile UK politician slamming Australia for not celebrating with champagne: posting a set of photos of him enjoying the trophy celebrations with a glass of diet Coke
The Aussie veteran, pictured with wife Rachel, abstains from alcohol and being touched by it, because it is strictly banned in Islam
He posted a photo on social media of him enjoying a glass of Diet Coke as he roasted Nigel Farage for calling the lack of champagne showers un-Australian
Outspoken UK politician Nigel Farage (pictured) blasted the Aussie side for ‘suspending normal life’ by not spraying the bubbly everywhere while they lifted the WTC trophy
That clearly didn’t sit well with outspoken UK politician Nigel Farage, who quickly ignited a storm of controversy on social media when he tapped into the ‘political correctness gone mad’ angle.
‘Once again the Australian cricket team do not celebrate in champagne style because one of the team members is a Muslim. Are we all to suspend normal life because of the minority?’ he wrote.
Khawaja’s retort couldn’t have been delivered with more grace.
‘Celebrating with a Diet Coke! Some old heads call it Un-Australian. I call it the new Australians. A game for all!’ the star opener posted on his social media with a series of Aussie emojis and photos of him celebrating with the trophy and a glass of soft drink.
It was a perfect response to the storm of controversy that the Brexit campaigner and ex-UKIP leader had ignited online.
Fans, pundits and players roasted the close friend of ex-US president Donald Trump for his views, declaring them completely out of step with the deeply ingrained Aussie culture of mateship.
The veteran opener plays a hook shot in Australia’s win in the World Test Championship final
‘Pretty simple really: they care more about Usman than champagne. I understand that that might be a difficult concept for some,’ legendary writer Greg Baum commented.
Widen Editor Kit Harris might be from the UK, but he clearly understood the importance of mateship to Aussies, too, blasting Farage and the increasingly partisan nature of politics.
‘It’s called ‘mateship. I know it doesn’t exist in politics, but it does in sport — especially Australian sport,’ he wrote.
‘When it comes to the Australian cricket team, Usman Khawaja isn’t a ‘minority’. He’s their opening batsman.
‘I imagine the players felt the tradition of taking a celebratory photo with the whole team was more important than the tradition of throwing an alcoholic drink over each other.’
Others slammed Farage for thinking the Aussie side was making a political statement, saying it was simply a matter of a side respecting their teammate.
‘If its a team decision, then that’s up to them. It’s a team sport after all. It’s not always political,’ one fan wrote, with another commenting ‘Have you played sports? Team is a brotherhood. If the teams made a choice why does it matter?’
Khawaja and close mate David Warner (right) were pictured celebrating long into the night after the win – and it didn’t matter in the slightest that the former wasn’t drinking alcohol
Political commentator Matthew Stadlen had perhaps the most scathing response to Farange: ‘Here’s Nigel Farage, who has lost all seven attempts to become an MP, criticising the literal World Test champions for acting like a team.’
Khawaja is certainly no stranger to his religion being used to create controversy online, and he and teammates didn’t let it affect their raucous celebrations.
As soon as a Lyon and Boland combined to take the final wicket after a shocking shot by Mohammed Siraj, the Aussies hugged each other in joy after their historic triumph.
Partners and children of the players then burst onto the ground as the side took a victory lap – with hearts melting as Ayla Khawaja and Hallie Labuschagne donned their fathers famous baggy green caps.
Usman Khawaja and wife Rachel also posed for a sweet photo with their daughters Ayla and Aisha in the dressing room after the victory
Travis Head and glamorous model wife Jessica celebrated with their daughter Milla in the dressing rooms after the match
Aussie women’s skipper Alyssa Healy enjoyed a beer on field with husband Mitchell Starc (right) after the win
Ayla Khawaja (right) and Hallie Labuschagne (left) donned their fathers’ famous baggy green caps after Australia’s win
Khawaja’s wife Rachel posted that eldest daughter Aisha was the ‘life of the party’ wearing a jersey emblazoned with her Dad’s name in the dressing rooms after the win, with the family also posing for a sweet photos as Usman celebrated with a soft drink.
Milla Head, being held by her superstar father Travis and glamorous model wife Jessica, was transfixed by the stunning mace in the club rooms.
Australian women’s skipper Alyssa Healy also enjoyed a beer on the field alongside husband Mitchell Starc.
And of course there was a rousing edition of the team song – Under the Southern Cross – led, as always, by Lyon following the huge WTC win.
The team gathered around in a circle as they belted out the victory song, raising the mace as they celebrated the triumph.
And while, they made sure they were nowhere near their much-loved Muslim teammate, Khawaja.
The team quickly turned their focus back to the cricket pitch following the celebrations, with the Ashes set to begin on Friday night (AEST) in what is one of the most exciting series in many years.
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