Australian opener Usman Khawaja made headlines this week—not with the bat, but with a quiet but pointed refusal to engage with SEN commentators after play during the West Indies Test in Barbados.
Khawaja was escorted toward broadcasters Adam Collins and Bharat Sundaresan for a post-match chat but opted out upon recognizing the media outlet. The silent protest drew renewed attention to SEN’s controversial sacking of veteran journalist Peter Lalor earlier this year over pro-Palestinian social media posts.
While SEN boss Craig Hutchison was present at the ground entertaining corporate guests, he told The Sounding Board podcast he was unaware of Khawaja’s decision at the time.
“I don’t know (why he did it), I didn’t see it happen,” said Hutchison.
“But he clearly didn’t speak to us, which is fine. That’s his prerogative, that’s his right. I’ve got a lot of respect for Usman.”
“And if he doesn’t want to talk to us, he doesn’t have to. It doesn’t mean a thing really in terms of our ability to broadcast the cricket. So if he didn’t want to talk to us, I don’t know why.”
When pressed by co-host Damian Barrett, Hutchison acknowledged the likely reason behind the snub.
“I would assume that’s the right reason, but I don’t know why,” he said.
“And that’s totally fine. As I mentioned in the past, access is neither here nor there in terms of your ability to broadcast or do your job.”
SEN draws line under Khawaja interviews
Hutchison confirmed that Khawaja would not be approached again for interviews on SEN platforms.
“So if he doesn’t want to do interviews with us ongoing, which he looks like it is the case, that’s totally fine. We respect that and we won’t ask that of him again.”
“I’m not going to get into it again (about Lalor). There’s no point getting into it again. It obviously was a wider issue, which I explained at the time, than the one that seemingly Usman’s interpreted.”
“But that’s OK. There’s no point backing over it, I respect Usman.”
“He’s been great for Australian cricket. He can have that view of us if he chooses, and we’ll respect it.”
“We won’t interview him or ask that of him in the future.”
The Lalor controversy and wider industry implications
Peter Lalor, one of Australia’s most respected cricket journalists, was dismissed from SEN’s broadcast team during the national side’s tour of Sri Lanka. The decision followed Lalor’s public support for Palestine amid the escalating conflict in Gaza. Hutchison reportedly told Lalor his views made “people feel unsafe.”
In a February Instagram post, Khawaja publicly condemned the sacking:
“Standing up for the people of Gaza is not antisemitic nor does it have anything to do with my Jewish brothers and sisters in Australia, but everything to do with the Israeli government and their deplorable actions.”
Hutchison, also speaking on The Sounding Board podcast earlier this year, stood by his decision, citing the complex and sensitive nature of the issue.
“What I would say is, we live in a very sensitive time in a community that, there’s so many sections of the community that are hurting and going through lots. And I want to be really respectful of everyone in that community. It is a more difficult time than it’s ever been in Australian life.”
Industry solidarity grows
Following Lalor’s exit, other journalists have also reportedly refused SEN interviews in solidarity, according to Crikey’s Daanyal Saeed. The broadcaster, which has invested heavily in cricket coverage globally, now faces a delicate balancing act—navigating journalistic independence, political sensitivities, and athlete relations.
Khawaja’s silent protest may not have halted SEN’s cricket coverage, but it has amplified a message that continues to echo through the industry: some actions speak louder than words.
