Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has detailed allegations of racial abuse directed at him and his teammates by members of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in the Long Room at Lord's Cricket Ground in 2023. The incident occurred in the aftermath of Jonny Bairstow's controversial dismissal during the Ashes series.
In his new book, "Sabr," Khawaja recounts how members of the MCC verbally abused the Australian players as they walked through the Long Room for the lunch interval. He described the atmosphere as hostile, with individuals shouting insults and using racial slurs. "It was like a pack of dogs about to feast on their next meals," Khawaja wrote, describing the barrage of expletives. "They were in unison, swearing, calling us 'Fing this', and 'Fing that', 'P*** this'. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing."
Khawaja stated that the abuse escalated when one individual shouted directly into his ear. He confronted the man, who continued to shout and spit at him. "Then as I walked on, and I heard someone else say, 'Shut up, you P***', I lost it," Khawaja recalled.
Following the incident, the MCC conducted a four-month investigation, which resulted in sanctions against three members. One member received a two-and-a-half-year ban, another a four-and-a-half-year ban, and the most egregious perpetrator was expelled from the club for life.
Khawaja also noted that the hostility extended beyond verbal abuse, with some members attempting to trip Australian players from behind a dividing rope. He mentioned that a child of an Australian coaching staff member was brought to tears by the crowd's behavior, and his own wife expressed fear for their safety.
The controversial dismissal of Bairstow occurred when he stepped out of his crease after believing the ball was dead, only for Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey to run him out with an underarm throw. This incident sparked intense debate about the spirit of cricket.
In his book, Khawaja also reignited the controversy surrounding the 2018 "Sandpapergate" scandal, claiming that the entire Australian team was aware of the ball-tampering incident for which Cameron Bancroft, Steve Smith, and David Warner were punished. Cricket Australia has stated it has no intention of reopening that investigation.