USMAN KHAWAJA REVEALS RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS DIAGNOSIS

Former Australia batter Usman Khawaja has revealed that he managed rheumatoid arthritis throughout his international cricket career. Doctors diagnosed the autoimmune condition when he was 22 and playing for New South Wales, Khawaja said. He told medical staff and cricket administrators, but kept the diagnosis from teammates and friends. “I didn’t want anyone to use it against me,” he said. Khawaja ended his Australia career after the Ashes in January, having played 88 Tests and scored 18 international centuries.

Khawaja said pain in his left knee initially left doctors struggling to identify the cause. “I genuinely thought I was going to die,” he said, describing a period when he could barely walk to the bathroom. He credited regular injections with helping him return to competitive cricket about six months after his diagnosis. Khawaja said he continued to need injections and took one the night before speaking in Brisbane. He also said the condition contributed to back trouble near the end of his career.

Khawaja scored 6,229 Test runs, including 16 centuries, and became the first Muslim to represent Australia in Test cricket. He said even his school friend Ardil learnt of the diagnosis only a year ago. His autobiography, Sabr, is due for release on 10 November and covers his experience in Australian cricket. Khawaja wrote the book without a ghostwriter, saying he felt only he could tell his story. He is due to play for Brisbane Heat in the upcoming Big Bash season.