'Want to celebrate diverse culture': Cummins on his heartwarming gesture for Khawaja
Jan 17, 2022
Hobart [Australia], January 17 : Australia Test skipper Pat Cummins on Monday explained his heartwarming gesture for batter Usman Khawaja after his side won the Ashes against England.
On Sunday, Cummins called Usman Khawaja back into a team huddle for a team photo after the champagne bottles were popped.
"We've got a really diverse bunch of people and you want to celebrate that and you want to make sure everyone feels comfortable being themselves. That was just one moment," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Cummins as saying.
"The boys are fantastic in that space. They always look after each other. It's a really tight-knit group. I think one of the reasons is there is a lot of respect and love for each other. We had to make sure our teammate was in the photo with us," he added.
After Australia won the Ashes, David Warner, Marcus Harris, and Mitchell Starc had brought champagne bottles onto the stage. Khawaja noticed that he would be exposed to alcohol and as a result, he jumped down from the stage.
Khawaja was then absent from the initial photos taken with the Trophy. But then Cummins asked his teammates to put down the champagne and he welcomed Khawaja back for a team photo.
Cameron Green and Scott Boland took three wickets each in the second innings as Australia defeated England by 146 runs in the fifth Ashes Test here at the Blundstone Arena on Sunday.
With this win, Australia won the five-match Ashes 4-0. Australian skipper Pat Cummins also took three wickets in the second innings as the hosts completed a perfect bowling performance.
