Khawaja explains absence, mentioned in Bulls' Shield Final Squad

Usman Khawaja has stated that he is willing by pushing a hamstring bubble to play for Queensland in the final of Sheffield Shield after a “communication saving” led to a week of tension between the Star Beslag and the state cricket officials.

Queensland included Khawaja when they called their team for the Shield decision maker today, the group returning to Adelaide on Monday to be confronted with Minor Premiers South Australia in the five-day final in Karen Rolton Oval from Wednesday.

Queensland Squad: Marnus Labuschagne (C), Jack Clayton, Lachlan Hearne, Usman Khawaja, Angus Lovell, Ben McDermott, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Tom Striker, Mitchell Swepson, Callum Vidler, Jacker, Jacker, Jacker, Jacker, Jacker, Jacker, Jacker, Jacker, Jacker, Jacker, Jacker, Jacker, Jacker

In: Usman Khawaja

Out:Jackson Sinfield

Test opener Khawaja missed the round 10 -similar game of the Bulls with SA at the same location to restore a hamstring injury that flared up in Hobart before their previous match against Tasmania. He also spent the weekend in Formula 1 Grand Prix in Melbourne with his family.

The left-handed hit a brilliant 127 followed by 33 not in their round nine victory in Tasmania to keep their season alive, before the Bulls stroke people insured enough bonus points in his absence against SA to hang in second place and qualify for the final.

When the team returned from Adelaide on Wednesday, Queensland Cricket High Performance Boss Joe Dawes said that he was not aware of Khawajas Hamstring injury, adding that he was disappointed that the 38-year-old did not make himself available for the final round.

In response to Dawes's claims today, Khawaja said reporters that he had spoken about the injury with both Queensland and Cricket Australia Physios about the injury, and it was reported in the CA database, the athlete management system.

“We came back from (the test tour of) Sri Lanka, I was still pretty painful and tired,” said Khawaja.

“I had a Hammy collision, I tore my rotatorm surchet in the summer and it is still there now, and I had a calfbby that I did during the first test in Sri Lanka.

“So my body struggled a bit, just like 'Starcy' (Mitchell Starc), 'Cummo' (Pat Cummins) or 'Gazza' (Nathan Lyon), we all have our different workloads and management.”

Khawaja, who has played 11 first-class matches (including seven tests) since the start of the Shield season, said that he came up with a plan with the selection chair of the National Heren, George Bailey to play one of the last three games of Queensland and the final when they qualified.

The experienced seizure also said that he has Queensland coach Johan Botha SMS 'to let him know the plan, but did not receive an answer.

Khawaja said he felt his hamstring to sharpen Tasmania the day before the game, but because it did not deteriorate at night, he played through the Niggle while he could only run with “60-70 percent”.

Today he completed a Sprint session during Queensland Training and will have to do this again on Sunday before a last phone call is made for the decision maker.

“The Hammy feels pretty good, I became a half on my loads last week,” he said.

“If it feels like it was doing in Tassie, I am still willing to insist on the Shield final.

“It was just hard to insist the game before I knew that when I wound myself, I would be gone for the Shield final.

“I am more willing to push myself for the Shield final because I have a bit of a break behind it.”

Dawes said on Wednesday that he was told by Queensland Medical Staff that there was no reason that fitness “Why (Khawaja) could not have played the last game”.

“It's just disappointing that he didn't play a match for Queensland when he got the chance,” he said reporters at Brisbane Airport.

“I have some guys here who all want to play.

“That is the decision he has made, and he has communicated some reasons for it in the public.”

Khawaja said he was “injured” by Dawes' comments and claimed that he did not hear from someone in Queensland Cricket after the end of the match against Tasmania, and consequently “everything was fine”.

“I didn't hear from Joe Dawes, I didn't hear from Bootha, I didn't hear from medical staff in Queensland Cricket,” he said.

“I don't do anything without talking to Cricket Australia First Cricket Australia always has the last word.

“I don't hide from the fact that I am 38 years old and I want to have a long service life in the game that I want to play for Australia for as long as possible.

“I am contracted for Cricket Australia; my goal and obligation is in the first place for them.

“I always try to play as many games for Queensland as I can, but I can't always burn the candle at both ends.”

Khawaja was Captain Van Queensland's last Sheffield Shield Triumph in 2020-21, in which the current skipper Marnus Labuschagne scored 192 to defeat NSW in the final.

Labuschagne said that Khawaja missed the previous match in Adelaide and was available for the final was “the perfect result”.

“We understand that if we want the best out of him, he must make sure he is ready to go and fresh so that he is not injured,” he said.

Sheffield Shield final 2024-25

March 26-30 (10.35 am ACDT): South -Australia against Queensland, Karen Rolon Oval, Adelaide

The final of Sheffield Shield is broadcast live on Foxtel, You sportcricket.com.au and the Ca liveapp

Sheffield Shield Standings 2024-25

Team	Matches Played M	Win W	To lose L	Drawn D	No results N/R	Deduction Ded.	Batting bonus Bat	Bowling bonus Dish	Total number of points PTS
1 South Australia Men on	10	6	1	3	0	0	7.61	9	55.61
2 Queensland Bulls Qld	10	3	3	4	0	0	9.06	8.7	39.76
3 Victoria -Mannen Vic	10	4	5	1	0	0	5.19	9.3	39.49
4 NSW -Men NSW	10	3	4	3	0	0	6.99	8.4	36.39
5 Tasmanian Tigers -Mans That	10	3	5	2	0	0	7.72	8.2	35.92
6 West -Australia Men By	10	3	4	3	0	0	5.83	8.6	35.43

Legend

M: Matches Played

W: Win

L: To lose

D: Drawn

N/R: No results

Ded.: Deduction

Bat: Batting bonus

Dish: Bowling bonus

Points: Total number of points