"It's Pretty Vanilla": Australian Captain On Team Mate Showing Dove Symbol For Humanitarian Rights (image @ CricketAus)

Pat Cummins, the Australian cricket team captain says there is no difference between Usman Khwaja, showing a dove logo and bat showing awareness to humanitarian issues and, Marnus Labuschagne, another of his team mate, displaying eagle logo on his bat showing personal religious message. The message came after ICC denied Khawaja’s application to display dove logo on his bat during Test Match.

Cummins said while he do not know the “ins and outs of the application, but I think it is pretty vanilla, a dove”. He said the Australian cricket tea support “Uzzy” (Usman Khwaja). “we really support Uzzy, I think he is standing up for what he believes and I think he is doing it really respectfully”.

Khwaja wanted to display a small dove holding an olive branch on his bat and shoe. The logo is a reference to the Article one of Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Article reads, “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood”.

While the Cricket Australia and Australian Cricketers Association agreed to Khwaja’s application, ICC denied. ICC spokesperson said that, “personal messages of this nature are not allowed as per Clause F of the Clothing and Equipment Regulations, which can be found on the ICC Playing Conditions page”. He further added that ICC is supportive of players using platforms outside the playing arena to promote “human rights, peace and equality and would encourage him to continue to use alternative platforms”., as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo.

Interestingly, Labuschagne has been displaying the symbol of an eagle on the back of his bats. The symbol is said to be representing a verse from Bible. He has been long allowed to display the symbol on his bat during international cricket. Almost every players in the team including Khwaja also have multiple advertising stickers of different companies including their bat/equipment sponsor and secondary personal sponsor. And these were allowed by the ICC.

Earlier, Usman Khwaja was charged by the ICC for the breaching of the same Clause F. He was charged for wearing black arm band during the first Test against Pakistan in Perth. He initially thought about wearing the arm band with shoes that have writings on it which read, “all lives are equal” and “freedom is a human right”, to raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He wore the shoes during training sessions.

Khawaja said he respect the ICC and its rules but he will be asking and contesting that they “make it fair and equitable for everyone and they have consistency in how they officiate. That consistency hasn’t been done yet. I was very open and honest with that. I’ll deal with that with the ICC”.

With inputs from ESPN Cricinfo.