Usman Khawaja received an emotional farewell at the SCG, kissing the ground as fans gave a standing ovation in his final Test appearance for Australia.
Usman Khawaja received an emotional farewell during his final Test appearance at the Sydney Cricket Ground(SCG). The 39-year-old was greeted by a standing ovation as he walked out to bat one last time. Teammates and the England players also formed a guard of honour.
Khawaja briefly raised hopes of a brilliant finish with a boundary. However, his stay was short, ending with just six runs as Australia closed in on a win.
As he left the field, the crowd was on their feet again, applauding while Khawaja acknowledged every side of the stadium. Then, in an emotional moment, he knelt and kissed the SCG outfield before leaving the field for the final time.
“It means a lot. So much has gone into it. The game of cricket is so great. I was trying to act cool, but during the whole Test match, I found it hard to manage my emotions. I found it really hard to concentrate. I’m glad we got the win and got over the line. It’s something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. I’m so grateful for the career I’ve had,” Usman Khawaja said after the match.
A lot of times in life, we always want more, but the whole week has been about being grateful. It [the decision to kneel] was one final thank you from me. Thank you for everything I’ve been given, and I wanted to end it on that note,” he added.
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In the match, Australia sealed the fifth Ashes Test with a five-wicket win, completing a strong 4–1 series win. England set a target of 160 after being bowled out for 342 in their second innings. Australia faced some pressure during the chase before Alex Carey(16*) and Cameron Green(22*) guided the team to a win.
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