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Khawaja's wife speaks up on abusive comments (Source: @shumaila56_/x.com, @rachelmkhawaja/instagram.com)
The past few days have been devastating for Australia as the shocking attack on civilians at Bondi Beach rattles the nation. Several lives were lost and even those who returned alive caught lifelong trauma.
But after the horrifying attack, Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja’s family is facing unnecessary hate. Khawaja’s wife revealed that their daughters have faced vile comments, driven by a surge in anti-Islamic sentiment.
Khawaja’s young daughters face backlash following Bondi horror
After the horrifying terrorist attack on Australia’s Bondi beach, the entire nation fell silent, still dealing with the grief. The citizen lost their loved once in that cowardly attack and an anti-Islam sentiment rose up in the nation after the identity of the terrorists came out. The horrific strike was orchestrated by an alleged father-son duo, Sajid Akram and Naveed Akram, leaving the nation reeling from the terrible act.
The hate got stronger as it entered into the cricket circle in the most disturbing way. Usman Khawaja, with Pakistani roots, saw his family unfairly targeted by this backlash. Khawaja was born in Islamabad but moved to Sydney, Australia with his parents when he was just five.
The Australian batter’s wife Rachel Khawaja shared some screenshots of some abusive comments and penned a heartfelt note. Furious that their daughters were unfairly dragged into the hate, Rachel responded with a strong and emotional message.
“I've collected a small sample size of some of the comments we have received over the past week. I would love to say this is new, but sadly we have always received these kind of messages. But of course, they have gotten worse,” she said.
Rachel urges togetherness during difficult times
The hate is not new for the Aussie batter as he faced those backlashes in the past. But amid the nation’s darkest hours, Khawaja’s wife stepped forward, urging everyone to stand together and embrace unity.
“It is important now more than ever that we continue to come together and stay united. Whether it's standing up against antisemitism, Islamophobia and racism, we shouldn't stand for any of it,” she added.
After missing the second Test match of the ongoing Ashes, Usman Khawaja returned to the side in the third Test and played a crucial 82-run knock in the first innings. With three straight victories, they have successfully retained the iconic Ashes urn.
