Usman Khawaja announces surprise departure from Sydney Thunder

Big Bash League franchise Sydney Thunder got a big blow as Australia batter Usman Khawaja has left the team so he can stay closer to his family in Brisbane next summer.

Khawaja said that asking for a release from his contract with the Thunder’s team was the toughest decision of his cricket career. His wife Rachel McLellan is expecting their second child, due in April this year and he decided to stay with her.

The 35-year-old, who was contracted by the Sydney Thunder until the end of the next BBL season, said that he wants to spend more time in the Queensland capital with his family next summer.

"It's the toughest call I've made as a cricketer because Sydney Thunder… mean so much to me," Khawaja said in a statement on Friday. "However, it is for family reasons.”

He continued, "And while I'm leaving, people who know me realize a big part of my heart will always remain with Thunder. I don't want people to think I've cut my ties… because I'll always care about the club, the players, the entire organization."

The southpaw is Sydney Thunders’ highest run-scorer with 1818 runs at a strike rate of almost 130. Cricket NSW's head of male cricket, Michael Klinger, has also stated that Thunder had tabled a long-term contract extension to Usman Khawaja, but he respected the reason for this difficult decision.

"It's disappointing ... Sydney Thunder and Cricket NSW definitely wanted him to stay and we offered a highly competitive contract," Klinger said in a statement. "However we appreciate that Usman's decision has been made for his family, and we respect and support that."

Meanwhile, Khawaja has returned to Australia's Test team during the 4-0 Ashes series win against England and will depart this weekend for a three-match Test tour of Pakistan, where he was born as well.