Australia batter Usman Khawaja has alleged that he was racially abused by a Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) member during the controversial second Ashes Test against England at Lord’s in 2023.
In his autobiography Sabr, published on Tuesday, Khawaja revealed that a member shouted a racial slur at him as Australia’s players returned to the pavilion during the fifth day of the Test. He recalled being told to “shut up, you P**i” while walking through the Lord’s Long Room.
The incident followed Jonny Bairstow’s controversial dismissal by Alex Carey, which sparked anger among England supporters. Television footage showed Khawaja stopping to confront members of the MCC as Australia players faced boos and verbal abuse on their way to the dressing room.
Khawaja described the behaviour of some members as shocking, claiming they were swearing at Australian players and shouting abuse. He said he initially struggled to believe that such conduct was happening inside the prestigious Lord’s pavilion.
The Australian opener also clarified that he could not identify with certainty the individual who used the racial slur. He confronted one member during the incident and alerted security, believing that the person might have been responsible.
Khawaja further alleged that another MCC member attempted to trip him and David Warner as they walked up the stairs towards the dressing room. He said he initially played down the seriousness of the incidents to Australia’s security manager because he did not want to distract the team during an important stage of the match.
The MCC had suspended three members immediately after the incident, describing their behaviour as unacceptable. Following an investigation, the club announced further disciplinary action four months later. One member was expelled, while two others received suspensions of four-and-a-half years and two-and-a-half years.
Khawaja also revealed that MCC chair Mark Nicholas later asked for his opinion about the punishments. The batter said he believed the individuals deserved another opportunity if they had learned from their behaviour and were genuinely remorseful.
The 2023 Lord’s Test became one of the most controversial matches of that Ashes series after Bairstow was stumped by Carey when he walked out of his crease, believing the ball was dead. England supporters reacted angrily, while Australia defended the dismissal under the laws of cricket.
Despite Ben Stokes scoring a remarkable 155, England were bowled out as Australia secured a 43-run victory to take a 2-0 lead in the series.
Khawaja also wrote about the atmosphere inside Lord’s, describing the crowd as hostile and claiming that his wife, Rachel, felt unsafe in the stands. His autobiography includes further revelations about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, adding another chapter to the discussion surrounding Australian cricket.
