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Usman Khawaja to retire: Australia batter says he still fights ‘racial stereotypes’
Khawaja has played in six Ashes series – winning two, losing two and drawing two. He was also part of the Australia team that won the World Test Championship in 2023.
He needs 30 runs in his final Test to go above Mike Hussey and into 14th on Australia’s all-time run-scorers list, behind the great Donald Bradman in 13th.
Khawaja played the last of his 40 one-day internationals in 2019, having scored 1,554 runs at 42. He played nine T20 internationals, scoring 241 runs at 26.77.
Now playing domestically for Queensland, Khawaja will end his international career on the ground that was his home when he first played professional cricket for New South Wales in 2008. He intends to continue playing domestic cricket.
Often in and out of the Australia team during his Test career, he found a home at the top of the order during the previous home Ashes in 2021-22.
During the Perth Test Travis Head was moved up to open in place of Khawaja in the second innings. Head made a swashbuckling century to lead Australia to an eight-wicket win.
Khawaja missed the second Test with the back problem and was due to be left out of the third, only to receive a late call-up when Steve Smith fell ill.
Khawaja made 82 and 40 in Adelaide to retain his place for the fourth Test.
After the Ashes Australia do not play another Test until August.
“At the age of 25 I tried so hard to fit into the Australian cricket team. I was trying to dress like all the boys; I was going out to the clubs even though I didn’t drink,” said Khawaja.
“I tried all that and it didn’t get work. I’d still get dropped from the Australian cricket team.
“I get it – my name isn’t John Smith. When the 50-50 calls happen they’re just not going my way. Why am I trying to be like everybody else?
“I’m hoping the journey for the next Usman Khawaja is a bit easier and we get to a line, however many generations, where that Usman Khawaja is the same as John Smith. That’s what I’ve been trying to champion the whole time.
“We’re a lot better and inclusive society than we’ve been before, but there’s still a way to go because Australian cricket is still very white in a lot of respects.
“It might take time, but as long as you’re working towards it you can’t do more than that.”
CK Updates
Commonwealth Games: Megan Keith claims bronze for Scotland in 5000m infront of 100-year-old grandad
Given Keith herself was a tad surprised she scooped up a medal here, her grandad’s take on the event ought to be a good one.
The 10,000m is her preference, but the longer distance final did not go to plan on Monday and she finished seventh.
The Inverness athlete said she was faced with the ‘can Megan win a medal?’ talk earlier this week, but with that weight of expectation lifted – combined with experience of the home crowd and “the help of two other Scots in the race” – she was freed from the shackles to soar to a classy and courageous run.
“If you look at Monday on paper, that was pretty disappointing,” the 24-year-old added.
“I don’t think you’d put me in the running for a 5km medal since the 10km is normally closer to being my strength, so that definitely helped, the removal of that pressure.
“I think I knew if I felt horrendous and dropped out or fell off the pace again it wouldn’t really matter so I may as well shoot my shot.”
And shoot she did. Biding her time in the middle of the congested pact, Keith made her move with four laps to go, weaving past early pacesetters from Kenya and Uganda.
She was afforded a bit of breathing space with two hurls around the track to go. But as expected, the exceptional Australian duo of Rose Davies – who made it a double gold at these Games with her 10km – and Jessica Hull, the 1500m Olympic silver medallist, entered another gear in the final lap.
While the cameras focused on the tremendous tussle between the pair in the matching yellow vests, the majority of the crowd had their eyes a wee bit further back, bawling at Keith on the final stretch.
She was home safe and sound. And swiftly searching for a saltire.
Once that was draped over her shoulders, and she’d caught up with fellow Scots Eloise Walker and Laura Muir, who finished 15th and 16th respectively, she was darting back around the track – the wrong way, this time – in search of her grandad.
He was eventually found for a quick hug, but a bigger debrief – and the declaration, surely, that this topped any other Scotstoun occasion – is still to be had.
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Commonwealth Games 2026: England netball team beat South Africa to reach semi-finals
England’s netballers reached the Commonwealth Games semi-finals after producing a pulsating comeback to beat South Africa 58-54.
With both sides tied on six points but the Roses ahead of the Proteas on goal average in pool A’s second spot going into the game, England had to avoid defeat to progress.
Elmere van der Berg was in fine form early on to fire South Africa into a six-goal lead at the end of the first quarter with 16 of her nation’s 17 goals, leaving England facing an uphill task.
But some excellent and aggressive defensive work by second-quarter substitute Halimat Adio helped England spring multiple counter-attacks to claw their way back to just 29-28 down at the halfway stage.
The Roses started to take control in the third quarter, opening up a seven-goal lead at one stage before the Proteas netted three times in quick succession to go into the final 15 minutes 43-39 behind.
Both sides then went blow for blow in a compelling final quarter with 15 goals apiece, but 2018 champions England held on to ensure they maintained their record of qualifying for every Commonwealth Games semi-final since the inaugural netball event in 1998.
England will face New Zealand in the last four on Saturday, while South Africa’s wait for a first semi-final since 1998 goes on.
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Fifa World Cup: Uefa to boycott tournament if Gianni Infantino’s investment plans go through
In a statement released after Thursday’s meeting, which was held virtually and chaired by president Aleksander Ceferin, Uefa said it and its 55 member associations “stand as one”.
“We unanimously and unequivocally reject Fifa’s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other Fifa competitions to private investors,” it said.
On Wednesday, Uefa had accused Fifa of using football “to enrich themselves and their friends”.
Its statement on Thursday was even more damning, calling it “irresponsible and indefensible that a proposal of such significance for football was conceived in secret” and “without any meaningful consultation” with those who steward the game.
It added: “This is not merely a profound failure of leadership, but an abdication of Fifa’s duty as the custodian of world football.
“National associations around the world are now presented with an ultimatum: accept the irreversible capture of football’s greatest competitions or bear the consequences.
“This is not a ‘democratic decision’, but governance by intimidation – an act of coercion unworthy of an institution entrusted with the stewardship of the global game.”
While Uefa only accounts for a quarter of Fifa’s membership, it does include most of the world’s most successful teams.
Six of the eight quarter-finalists – including winners Spain – at this summer’s World Cup were European. In the 2022 and 2018 editions, the figures were five and six respectively.
Of the 23 World Cups to have taken place to date, 13 have been won by European countries.
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CK Updates14 hours agoFifa World Cup: Uefa to boycott tournament if Gianni Infantino’s investment plans go through
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CK Updates7 hours agoCommonwealth Games 2026: England netball team beat South Africa to reach semi-finals
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CK Updates20 hours agoStephen Fleming: England appoint former New Zealand captain as Test coach, with Joe Root captain

