Paul Kelly cricket song: Icon’s tribute to Aussie sports star Usman Khawaja

King of ballads Paul Kelly has released a timely tribute to an Aussie sports star after Usman Khawaja’s Ashes heroics against the UK.

Paul Kelly has released his tribute to cricketer Usman Khawaja.

Singer-songwriter Paul Kelly has released a studio recording of his track ‘Khawaja’ in tribute to Aussie cricket star Usman Khawaja.

Kelly originally wrote the song last year and posted it on YouTube.

Its re-emergence is timely after Khawaja’s Ashes heroics and helping Australia take a 2-0 lead in the series in the UK.

“I’ve always loved the way Usman Khawaja bats,’’ Kelly said.

“Hemingway’s famous description of courage as ‘grace under pressure’ could have been written for him. There’s grace in his strokemaking and in the way he dealt with being in and out of the team, sometimes unfairly, over many years.”

Singer Paul Kelly releases a song in honour of Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja. Picture: Instagram

Kelly said he penned the song after Khawaja scored a twin-ton in his comeback match against England at the SCG last January.

“It pretty much wrote itself, helped by a melody from a 70-year-old Hank Williams song, and I sang it into my phone straight away,’’ Kelly said.

“I wanted the new recording to have the simple, unadorned style of that original phone version. No frills. Like the way Uzzie bats.”

Alongside the track, a picture book based on the song was also released this week via Penguin Randomhouse, illustrated by accomplished Sri Lankan/Australian illustrator and cartoonist Avinash Weerasekera,

“The illustrations by Avinash Weerasekera to the words of the song are brilliant,’’ Kelly said.

“The book looks really good. I hope people have fun with it, with the pictures, words and singing.”