During the press conference, Usman Khawaja temporarily paused the proceedings and switched into his “dad hat” to advise his daughter against playing with the camera on one of the many phones placed in front of him for recording purposes and promised her some playtime with his phone later.
In Short
- Usman Khawaja’s daughter refused to be separated from him
- Khawaja said that he was not sure how long he would attend the press conference
- The Australian opener hit his first Test hundred on the English soil
By India Today Sports DeskAustralia opener Usman Khawaja made headlines during the first Ashes Test match at Edgbaston with a remarkable post-day press conference that showcased his unique blend of sporting prowess and fatherly love.
Following his impressive century on Day 2, Khawaja surprised everyone by entering the press conference with his daughter on his lap, immediately capturing the attention of the media.
He began the conference by explaining that his daughter refused to be separated from him, setting the tone for a heartwarming and unprecedented media interaction. Aware that his time might be limited due to his daughter’s presence, Khawaja issued a warning to the journalists.
When Khawaja’s daughter Aisha inquired about her younger sister Ayla, the Australian cricketer said”Yeah, she is not here, baby Ayla’s not here. She is with Mama. We will go back soon though, okay? 2 minutes. Let me talk. Okay? I don’t know how long I have here. So, let’s do this.”
During the conference, there was a touching moment when Khawaja, temporarily pausing the proceedings, switched into his “dad hat” to advise his daughter against playing with the camera on one of the many phones placed in front of him for recording purposes and promised her some playtime with his phone later.
This heartwarming scene added to the day’s excitement, as Khawaja had already shone on the field, scoring an unbeaten 126 runs, leading Australia’s fightback against England. In a display of pure jubilation upon reaching his century, Khawaja celebrated by roaring, sprinting around 30 yards, and throwing his bat in an eruption of emotion.
“I think it was a combination of three Ashes tours in England and being dropped in two of them,” Khawaja said when asked about how he reacted to his 100. I don’t read the media, I genuinely do not read the media but when I’m getting sprayed by the crowd as I’m walking out there today and as I’m going to nets that I can’t score runs in England,” Khawaja said.
“So I guess it was just a bit more emotional than normal. I feel like I’m saying this all the time, same thing happened in India. Not that I have a point to prove but it’s nice to go out there and score runs for Australia and just to show everyone that the last 10 years hasn’t been a fluke.”
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