THE first Muslim to wear the baggy green will represent his culture proudly.
That's the culture that listens to Wolfmother, spends hours on PCs playing Call of Duty and claims Ricky Ponting is a "legend" who could convince him to jump from a bridge.
Meet Usman Tariq Khawaja, 24, born in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, and rounded off in the outer suburbs of Sydney.
He's funny, friendly, a qualified pilot, good on the back foot, strong outside off stump and so obviously talented that state captain Simon Katich guarantees he "has a long Test career in front of him".
Khawaja has been brought into the side for the Sydney match to replace the injured Ponting.
He was at his family home yesterday when a Cricket Australia representative rang to tell him he was in the squad.
theaustralian
That's the culture that listens to Wolfmother, spends hours on PCs playing Call of Duty and claims Ricky Ponting is a "legend" who could convince him to jump from a bridge.
Meet Usman Tariq Khawaja, 24, born in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, and rounded off in the outer suburbs of Sydney.
He's funny, friendly, a qualified pilot, good on the back foot, strong outside off stump and so obviously talented that state captain Simon Katich guarantees he "has a long Test career in front of him".
Khawaja has been brought into the side for the Sydney match to replace the injured Ponting.
He was at his family home yesterday when a Cricket Australia representative rang to tell him he was in the squad.
theaustralian
