The International Cricket Council (ICC) has faced criticism for not allowing Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja to show on-field support for Gaza where more than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks. Khawaja’s attempts to display messages of support and peace were blocked by the ICC, leading to backlash from both fans and players. The ICC spokesperson stated that personal messages of this nature are not allowed as per their regulations. This decision raised questions about the ICC’s lack of clarity and consistency regarding players displaying support for humanitarian causes. Despite the ICC’s decision, Khawaja and Australian captain Pat Cummins continued to speak out in support of human rights and equality for all lives. The ICC’s past decisions on political messages and causes were also brought into question, including their permission for players to take the knee for the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 and 2021. The controversy highlighted concerns about the ICC’s handling of players’ personal expressions of support and led to calls for greater clarity and fairness in their regulations.