"100% Wrong": Usman Khawaja Blames Queensland Cricket For Making Fake Accusations

Usman Khawaja has come down hard on the accusations made against him by Queensland cricket general manager Jon Dawes, where Dawes alleged that Khawaja missed the Sheffield Shield game against South Australia despite not having any hamstring injury issues, as previously told.

“It’s just disappointing he didn't play a game for Queensland when he had an opportunity to,” Dawes said on Wednesday. Later, Ian Healy, former Australian wicket-keeper and a Queensland Cricket Board member, questioned Khawaja’s commitment to playing for Queensland. 

“It's just this pick and choose mentality that has been evident in his later years that Queensland haven't been happy with,” Healy told SEN Radio. 

Khawaja, who was visibly emotional and disappointed about these allegations, called a press conference in Brisbane on Saturday, where he gave away his side of the story. 

“There's a lot of misinformation being thrown around," Khawaja said, as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo.

"The most disappointing thing was, I try to keep this as in-house as possible behind the scenes. It's obviously not anymore. Joe Dawes came out the other day and said a few inflammatory things, which was really disappointing to me as a player, and after that, I just felt like I had to speak up and say something, and give my side a story.

“Joey said that the medical staff had no idea. That is 100% wrong. I've talked to both our physios. I've talked to the Australian physio. I was talking to the Australian physio the whole time. It's on our athlete management system (AMS). My hammy is reported. Everything is there. Everyone knew about it.

“That was probably one of the most shocking things I heard. It was really disappointing because it's categorically untrue. So I just wanted to clear that up, that the physios 100% knew about my hammy injury,” Khawaja said, clarifying about his injury. 

The left-handed opener, who injured his hamstring and got a calf niggle during the Test tour to Sri Lanka, where he also scored a double hundred, felt that to have his commitment questioned was the most heartbreaking thing for him.

“A few days later, I started hearing murmurs and reports about me opting out and all this stuff. And I was fuming. I was actually really devastated. I was really disappointed. A board member started to attack me, which was really disappointing for me,” Khawaja admitted. 

"To be honest, the other bit about me not wanting to play for Queensland was probably the most disheartening thing. The amount I've given to Queensland, just like Joey would have given too, you give your heart and soul. You can tell I get a bit emotional, you give a heart and soul for this organization.”

Khawaja informed that he’s doing his best to get ready for the Sheffield Shield Final and is undergoing rehabilitation for his hamstring injury.