Usman Khawaja says his mother was abused at Boxing Day Test for wearing a hijab

Australian Test opener Usman Khawaja has revealed that his mother was verbally abused at last year’s Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground because she was wearing a hijab, disclosing the episode in a forward to a government report on Islamophobia released Friday.

Khawaja said two young men walked behind his mother and screamed obscenities into her ears while she was at the MCG, and that a security guard witnessed the incident. The men were detained and police were called, but Khawaja wrote that his mother, distraught and frightened by the episode, asked him not to pursue the matter further and the family kept the incident private.

In the forward to the report titled "A National Response to Islamophobia," Khawaja wrote that the episode illustrated the vulnerability of Muslim women who wear the hijab. "I believe there is nothing more difficult than being a hijab wearing Muslim," he wrote, adding that a woman who covers her hair "automatically becomes a target for hate and prejudice."

Khawaja said the abuse at the MCG made him more conscious of protecting his parents in public. "Many times, I purposely walk slightly behind my parents in case someone tries to do something out of hate, just so I can see and respond and defend them adequately," he wrote. He also recounted his mother's response to the incident: "I don't want to ruin the rest of these boys' lives over one incident," words he said reflected the mercy she learned from her faith.

The 35-year-old left-hander, born in Pakistan, became the first Muslim to represent Australia in Test cricket. He has played more than 70 Tests, scoring in excess of 5,000 runs with an average above 45, including three Ashes centuries. Khawaja is expected to be a key member of Australia's batting lineup when England tours for the Ashes this summer.

Khawaja has previously spoken about facing online abuse and Islamophobic incidents during his career and has become an outspoken advocate for inclusion and diversity in Australian sport. In his forward to the government report, he said the MCG incident was one example of "hate everywhere in today's society," and urged recognition of the impact of Islamophobia on everyday life.

The government report, presented as a national response to Islamophobia, includes contributions from public figures and community leaders describing the forms of discrimination they have encountered. Khawaja's account adds a high-profile personal example of abuse occurring at a major sporting event in front of spectators and security staff.

Khawaja said he had kept the episode quiet even from teammates out of respect for his mother's wishes, and described his anger at the attack alongside his admiration for her reaction. The disclosure has renewed public discussion about the safety of spectators at large sporting events and the experiences of Muslim Australians at public gatherings.

Cricket Australia and stadium security authorities did not immediately comment on the account. The report's release and Khawaja's forward have drawn attention to calls for broader measures to address religiously motivated abuse in public spaces and at sporting venues.