Usman Khawaja to 'fight' decision on Gaza message

Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja says he will "fight" the decision to bar his shoes with pro-Palestinian messages.

The batter had planned to wear shoes bearing the words "all lives are equal" and "freedom is a human right" at a Test match with Pakistan.

The International Cricket Council did not allow this as it considered the statements "political", Khawaja said.

In a video message, he added that the messages on his shoes were simply a "humanitarian appeal".

In the emotional video posted on Instagram on Wednesday, the 36-year-old added: "I will respect (the International Cricket Council's) view and decision, but I will fight it and seek to gain approval."

Khawaja, who is Muslim, was spotted sporting the shoes earlier this week while training for the upcoming Test in Perth. He has previously spoken on social media in support of civilians in Gaza.

"No one chooses where they are born... I already felt my life wasn't equal to others when I was growing up. But luckily for me, I have never lived in a world where the lack of inequality was life or death," he said.

Earlier, Khawaja posted a Unicef video from Gaza on Instagram with the comments: "Do people not care about innocent humans being killed? Or is it the colour of their skin that makes them less important? Or the religion they practice? These things should be irrelevant if you truly believe that 'we are all equal'."

Australia's cricket authority has said Khawaja must abide by international rules prohibiting "personal messages".

"We support the right of our players to express personal opinions. But the ICC has rules in place which prohibit the display of personal messages which we expect the players to uphold," Cricket Australia said in a statement on Wednesday.

Captain Pat Cummins and Australia's sport minister have supported Khawaja, but said he will no longer wear the shoes.

Cummins later told media Khawaja had decided against wearing the shoes when the Test begins on Thursday.

"I don't think his intention was to make too big of a fuss," he said.

"I think he had 'all lives are equal'. I don't think that's very divisive. I don't think anyone can have too many complaints about that."

Sport Minister Anika Wells told reporters she did not believe his shoes contravened ICC rules.

"Usman Khawaja is a great athlete and a great Australian. He should have every right to speak up on matters that are important to him. He has done so in a peaceful and respectful way," she said.

But former Australian cricketers Rodney Hogg and Simon O'Donnell have said the field is not the place for political statements.

"I fully respect Usman Khawaja's beliefs personally… but while he's representing Australia he has no right, nil, zero, to bring his personal beliefs and instil those onto others," O'Donnell told local SEN radio.

Under ICC rules, players and officials cannot display anything on their clothing or equipment without the governing body's approval, with "potentially divisive" or political messages banned.

The regulations also empower referees to stop players taking the field if they are wearing any "non-compliant" items.

In 2014 England batter Moeen Ali was similarly warned to stop wearing wristbands showing support for Gaza during a Test match with India.