Usman Khawaja’s peace protest to finally take flight in BBL game for Brisbane Heat

Usman Khawaja was knocked back by the ICC in his attempt to stage a protest for peace in the Middle East during the Test series against Pakistan. He won’t be stopped from displaying a dove on his bat during his return to the BBL.

Usman Khawaja’s peace dove is poised to be set free at last in the Big Bash on Wednesday.

Khawaja and fellow Test player Marnus Labuschagne will play for the Heat in their Gabba clash against the Perth Scorchers before heading to Adelaide for next week’s first Test against the West Indies.

Khawaja has wanted to wear a symbol of the dove holding an olive branch on his bats in the Test series against Pakistan as sympathy for the victims of the war in Gaza.

But the International Cricket Council banned the move after previously forbidding him to wear shoes carrying the message “All Lives are Equal.’’

Khawaja claims he wanted to make a humanitarian gesture but the ICC deemed it had political overtones.

Cricket Australia, however, had no problems with the dove and supported his right to wear it before the ICC banned it.

While the Test series fell under the authority of the ICC the Big Bash is run by Cricket Australia.

If Khawaja wants to wear the dove he would need to ask for permission from CA to wear it but given they have already endorsed its use they would be unlikely to object to it.

Originally published as Usman Khawaja’s peace protest to finally take flight in BBL game for Brisbane Heat