'Pack of dogs': Usman Khawaja on Lord's racial abuse
What's the story
Former Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has accused members of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) of racially abusing him during an Ashes game at Lord's in 2023. The entire episode was detailed in his new book, "Sabr." Khawaja also opened up on the 2018 Sandpapergate, stating that also revealed that all players were complicit in the infamous scandal.
Incident details
What was the Lord's incident?
The controversy erupted after England's Jonny Bairstow was controversially dismissed at Lord's.
The English batter left his crease at the end of an over, thinking the ball was dead, but Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey threw the ball to the stumps. Bairstow was eventually declared run out.
The MCC members in Lord's Long Room were furious with this decision and hurled racial slurs at Khawaja and his teammates as they walked past during lunch.
Abuse description
Khawaja opens up on the racial slurs
In his book, Khawaja described the abuse from MCC members as "like a pack of dogs about to feast on their next meals."
He said they were in unison, swearing and calling them derogatory names.
The former cricketer was shocked by their behavior and initially laughed at it, thinking it was some kind of joke.
He even questioned if he was really at Lord's or somewhere else entirely.
Confrontation aftermath
MCC banned three members for their actions
As the abuse continued, Khawaja confronted one of the offenders, demanding security to remove him.
He also revealed that some members tried to trip him and David Warner from behind a dividing rope in the Long Room.
After a four-month investigation into this incident, MCC banned three members for their actions during the incident. One was banned for over two years years while another received a four-and-a-half-year ban.
The worst offender was expelled from the club for life.
Personal impact
Hostility affected the players' families as well
Khawaja also shared that a member of the Australian coaching staff's child was left in tears by the crowd's hostility that day.
His brother-in-law nearly got into a fight over this incident.
The Australian cricketer's wife, Rachel, was scared for her safety amid all this chaos and violence.
"For the first time in her life she was genuinely worried that someone was going to hurt her," wrote Khawaja.
Information
Khawaja retired earlier this year
Khawaja, who emerged as a successful opener, retired from international cricket after the fifth Ashes Test against England at SCG in January 2026. In 88 Tests (159 innings), the left-hander scored 6,229 runs at 42.95, including 16 tons and 28 fifties.