Former Indian cricket official BLASTS government for ‘vicious and spiteful’ treatment of Usman Khawaja after Australia star encountered visa issues before Test tour: ‘Cricketers are NOT terrorists’
- A former BCCI administrator has blasted the Indian government
- Usman Khawaja encountered visa delays when travelling to India
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A former BCCI administrator has hit out at India’s government over their ‘vicious and spiteful’ treatment of Usman Khawaja after the Australia star struggled to gain entry into the country.
Khawaja, 36, stole the show in the final Test last week when he hit a sumptuous 180 runs as Australia played out a draw to round off a 2-1 series defeat on the subcontinent.
His innings was yet another reminder of his incredible return to the top of the sport, having been written off by fans and pundits earlier on in his career.
But Khawaja may never have had the chance to hit his maiden Test century on Indian soil, with the Pakistan-born Australian hindered by visa delays when he tried to travel with his teammates to the country last month.
He also encountered the same issue in 2014 and was the only member of the travelling party to do so. Former cricket official Ramchandra Guha says India should be ashamed of their treatment of Khawaja.
A former BCCI administrator has blasted the Indian government for their treatment of Khawaja
The veteran opener dazzled on the subcontinent but encountered visa issues
Ramchandra Guha (above) blasted the ‘vicious’ treatment of Khawaja last month
‘Khawaja is a fine cricketer, he played very impressively and to hold up his visa was an act of spitefulness,’ he said in an interview with Indian publication The Wire.
‘It shows India in a very poor light, not the BJP, not (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi, but you and me as Indians that our country could hold up someone’s visas even though he is an Australian citizen.
‘In my view Pakistan should be able to play in India and come for the World Cup because cricketers are not terrorists, cricketers don’t represent their government, they just play a sport.
‘It was a vicious and spiteful act and in some ways, given all that went on, it is poetic justice that Khawaja scored a hundred, not one of the other 10 Australians.’
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