Australia captain Pat Cummins threw his support behind star opener Usman Khawaja Monday, saying his bid to bring attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza was "not offensive".
Khawaja has been denied permission by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to have a sticker showing a black dove holding an olive branch on his bat and shoes during the second Test against Pakistan.
The logo, which he displayed during training on Sunday, also had the words 01:UDHR – a reference to Article One of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – written on it.
The 36-year-old, a Muslim, was stopped from wearing shoes emblazoned with the hand-written slogans "Freedom is a human right" and "All lives are equal" during the first Test in Perth.
The ICC said they flouted its rules on messages that relate to politics, religion or race.
"We really support Uzzy. He's standing up for what he believes and I think he's done it really respectfully," Cummins told reporters on the eve of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
"As I said last week, 'All lives are equal', I don't think that's very offensive and I'd say the same about the dove.
"That's Uzzy. I think he can really hold his head high with the way he's gone about it.
"But obviously there's rules in place and I believe the ICC have said they're not going to approve that. They make up the rules and you've got to accept it."
Khawaja wore a black armband during the Perth Test and was reprimanded by the ICC, but insisted it was for a "personal bereavement" and not politically-motivated.
Last week, he spoke about how the Israel-Hamas conflict had affected him.
"When I'm looking at my Instagram and seeing innocent kids, videos of them dying, passing away, that's what hit me the hardest," he said.
"I don't have any agendas other than trying to shine a light on what I feel really passionately, really strongly about."
Australia named an unchanged XI for the second Test against Pakistan, but the touring side replaced veteran stumper Sarfaraz Ahmed with Mohammad Rizwan for the second match of the three-Test series.
Scott Boland missed out on his home ground as Australia retained the pace trio of captain Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, who bowled them to a comprehensive victory in the opening Test in Perth.
"We're a huge fan of Scotty, I don't think that's a secret," Cummins told reporters on Monday.
"It's very rare that you're going to get through seven Test matches with the same [fast] bowling line-up. There's always niggles or things that pop up.
"He's ready to go if anything happens, so I'm sure he'll play a part at some point.
"The message [to Boland] is always 'We love what you're bringing, unfortunately you miss out on this one but don't change ... and stay ready'."
Pakistan would confirm their playing XI only at the toss on Tuesday but Sarfaraz has been dropped after managing seven runs in Perth.
Skipper Shan Masood said Rizwan, an attacking batter, needed time to shift to red-ball cricket, which was a key factor in playing Sarfaraz in the opening Test.
"We think Rizwan is ready and we can give Sarfaraz a little bit of a break to recoup and come back," Masood told reporters.
"It was more of a tactical decision in terms of the conditions and getting the best out of each player in those conditions."
Pakistan's bowling looked depleted as they seek to level the series in Melbourne.
Noman Ali has been ruled out of the last two matches having undergone appendicitis surgery, while fellow spinner Abrar Ahmed will continue to sit out with a leg injury he suffered during a tour game.
With a recovering Naseem Shah still not fit for action and Haris Rauf opting out of the series, the lack of firepower in their pace attack has also been a major concern for Pakistan.
Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
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Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
About Housecall
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Toss India, chose to bat
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India won by 26 runs on Duckworth-Lewis Method
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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More from Armen Sarkissian
Tour de France Stage 16:
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'Of Love & War'
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
