‘Could end his career’: Former Zimbabwean cricketer Henry Olonga has warned Usman Khawaja his protest could backfire

Former Zimbabwean cricketer Henry Olonga had his career torn down after taking an political stance on the field. While he supports Usman Khawaja’s right to speak his mind, he’s warned the opener it could backfire.

Cricket’s most famous freedom fighter has supported Usman Khawaja’s right to wear a black arm band but warned his stance could have career-threatening consequences.

Former Zimbabwean cricketer Henry Olonga was responsible for cricket’s bravest black arm band protest in the 2003 World Cup when he and Andrew Flower wore the bands against Namibia to mourn “the death of democracy’’ under their nation’s rogue president Robert Mugabe.

Adelaide-based Olonga watched with interest as Khawaja wore a black arm band during the first Test against Pakistan in Perth, supporting Khawaja’s Instagram post which spotlighted his distress at the human carnage in the Israel-Palestine war.

This masthead revealed the International Cricket Council had not given Khawaja permission to wear the arm band and, as they mull over what action to take against what Khawaja calls his humanitarian “All Lives Are Equal’’ stance, Olonga believes the ICC’s position has been severely compromised by double standards.

“The same people saying politics and sport don’t mix are the same people parading (Australian Prime Minister) Anthony Albanese and (Indian Prime Minister) Narendra Modi in a chariot at the cricket in India and giving them a platform at a sporting event to show solidarity,’’ Olonga told this masthead.

“So when it is convenient for the ICC they are happy to parade politicians so it’s hard with clean hands for them to come down on Uzzy. It’s weird that they pick and choose their political causes.’’

Usman Khawaja after being dismissed against Pakistan on day four of the first Test match. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images.

Olonga was dropped during the World Cup and never played again for his country. He and Flower have lived abroad ever since and, while pointing out several key differences in Khawaja’s stance, Olonga has warned the batsman of the consequences of over-pushing his point.

“My concern is that if Uzzy digs his heels in he may well find himself on the wrong side of everything. The question is when should he back off? Has he made his point? Should he back off now? Does he keep going?

“In the case of (rugby union’s) Israel Folau (who took a religion-based stance against homosexuality) he kept going and lost his career. I kept going and I lost my career. History will suggest if Uzzy keeps going this could end his career. I hope it doesn’t. I hope Australia is a much more tolerant country.

Cricketer Henry Olonga appealing while playing for Zimbabwe against Kenya in a World Cup Super Six match at Goodyear Park, Bloemfontein, South Africa in 2003.

Zimbabwean cricketer Henry Olonga wears a black arm band while watching his side batting in their Cricket World Cup match against Namibia in Harare. (AP Photo/str)

“I think it is very hard for them to condemn Uzzy for standing up for human rights irrespective of which side of the argument you are on.

“In my own view I probably don’t lean to support Palestine but I would not begrudge some who does from the opportunity to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people.

“I think the ICC may well pass the buck (to Cricket Australia) and they would do well to do that otherwise they would be so hypercritical.

“It is a complicated one. If you surveyed 1000 people on this it would be very hard to find a consensus on the issues but he is actually tapping in on something which is universal which is shouldn’t we treat each other with dignity and respect.’’

Brave as he was, Olonga copped a huge backlash for his arm band stance and recently said in a radio interview the fallout made him feel like “the most hated man in Zimbabwe’’ for the next decade.

“The very people I thought I represented when I left the country gave me bad blood. Funnily enough it is only now that Mugabe has died and the economy is wrecked that people have realised he was not the man they thought he was.

“I posted that on my socials and people said “you are a hero’’ and I said “yeah, whatever.’’

Originally published as ‘Could end his career’: Former Zimbabwean cricketer Henry Olonga has warned Usman Khawaja his protest could backfire