Reports on Sunday revealed that Australia’s Usman Khawaja encountered refusal to display a peace symbol on his bat and shoes during the upcoming Boxing Day Test against Pakistan.

During a training session in Melbourne, Khawaja sported a sticker exhibiting a black dove alongside the text 01:UDHR, a nod to Article One of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, on his bat and shoes.

Despite multiple discussions held with Cricket Australia in recent days to find a suitable message for the second Test, his latest gesture promoting humanitarian causes was rejected by the International Cricket Committee, as per The Australian and Melbourne Age newspapers.

The ICC was not immediately available for comment.

Read more:Usman Khawaja’s Gaza Support on Shoes Faces Bar

Earlier during the first Test in Perth, Khawaja, a Muslim, was barred from wearing shoes featuring handwritten slogans like “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal,” aiming to express solidarity with the people of Gaza. The ICC deemed these messages as breaching rules related to politics, religion, or race.

In response, Khawaja wore a black armband during the match and faced ICC reprimand, attributing it to a “personal bereavement” and pledging to challenge the decision.

Reflecting on the situation, Khawaja discussed the impact of Israel’s actions in Gaza, expressing his distress at witnessing the loss of innocent lives, particularly children. His intentions, he emphasized, were solely aimed at shedding light on a cause he deeply believes in, without any other underlying agendas.