Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has voiced his support for veteran cricket journalist Peter Lalor after the latter was removed from SEN radio’s coverage of the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka.
Lalor, a respected figure in cricket journalism, was reportedly dropped due to his social media activity concerning the war in Gaza. Lalor, who had been a regular voice on SEN’s cricket broadcasts for a decade, shared the news in a message to subscribers of his Cricket Et Al Substack.
The journalist revealed he was informed of his removal during the first Test in Galle.
“I figured, at some point, there would be an attempt to take me down, and it has happened,” Lalor wrote, adding that he was accused of being antisemitic—an allegation he strongly rejected. He was also told that his retweets were “not balanced” and that multiple complaints had been received.
Lalor defended his decision to highlight the situation in Gaza, explaining that he could not stay silent amid widespread suffering. “I cannot remain quiet when so many innocent people are being slaughtered,” he wrote. “I think I am a compassionate person. I believe I would do the same no matter who was responsible for the wholesale slaughter of so many innocent people and the destruction of their cities.”
Usman Khawaja, who scored a double century in the same match where Lalor was dropped, expressed his disbelief over the situation.
Taking to Instagram, he emphasized that supporting Gaza is not an attack on Jewish communities but a stance against the actions of the Israeli government.
“Standing up for the people of Gaza is not antisemitic, nor does it have anything to do with my Jewish brothers and sisters in Australia, but everything to do with the Israeli government and their deplorable actions,” Khawaja wrote. “It has everything to do with justice and human rights.”
The left-handed opener further defended Lalor, calling him “a good guy with a good heart” and stating, “He deserves better.”
This is not the first instance of Usman Khawaja expressing solidarity with the victims of genocide in Gaza. In 2024, he wore shoes with an embroidered dove, a symbol of peace, and an olive branch in a BBL game against Perth, despite the ICC preventing him from doing so earlier in the series against Pakistan.
Usman Khawaja and Australia are currently preparing for the second Test against Sri Lanka, set to begin on Thursday.
