Born in Pakistan, qualified pilot Usman Khawaja became the first Muslim to play for Australia when he made his debut in the 2011 Sydney Test.

He looked comfortable making scores of 37 and 21, which was a sight for the sore eyes of Australian fans, who had been forced to suffer through England’s successful Ashes campaign that summer.

With his international career having stalled slightly following that much-hyped debut, Khawaja decided for a sea change and moved from NSW to Queensland at the start of the 2012-13 season. 

A stylish left-hander, Khawaja has been in and out of Australia’s Test and one-day sides, much to the frustration of fans who have long identified the classy top-order batsman as a player of the future.