Usman Khawaja Opts Out Of Queensland’s Crucial Sheffield Shield Match

March 13, 2025: Australia’s seasoned Test opener Usman Khawaja has opted to skip Queensland’s crucial Sheffield Shield match against South Australia at Karen Rolton Oval, a decision that could impact Queensland’s chances of reaching the final, according to ESPNcricinfo.

With a win against South Australia essential for securing a spot in the final, Khawaja’s absence was confirmed when he was left out of the Queensland squad after informing the selectors of his unavailability. Marnus Labuschagne, who had been with the Australian squad for the recently concluded Champions Trophy, returns to lead the team.

Khawaja, who has been in fine form this season with match-winning scores of 127 and 33* against Tasmania, has made the choice to prioritize his mental and physical well-being. Rather than participating in the high-stakes Sheffield Shield match, Khawaja will fly from Brisbane to Melbourne to attend the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix over the weekend. This decision is part of Khawaja’s ongoing strategy to manage his workload, as the 38-year-old has been mindful of maintaining his freshness for the long season ahead.

In recent years, Khawaja has opted not to overextend himself by playing back-to-back games. He intends to rest during the months of April and May before preparing for the upcoming four Test matches in June and July, which includes the World Test Championship final against South Africa.

Khawaja’s absence isn’t the only one affecting the Sheffield Shield. Fellow Cricket Australia contracted player, Xavier Bartlett, is unavailable as he heads off to join the Punjab Kings for the IPL, while Travis Head, Jake Fraser-McGurk, and Spencer Johnson are also unavailable for South Australia for the remainder of the season.

Elsewhere, Victoria’s pacer Scott Boland has been ruled out of their do-or-die clash against Western Australia at the WACA Ground.

Queensland squad vs South Australia: Marnus Labuschagne (c), Jack Clayton, Lachlan Hearne, Angus Lovell, Ben McDermott, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Jackson Sinfield, Mark Steketee, Tom Straker, Mitchell Swepson, Callum Vidler, Jack Wildermuth.

Victoria squad vs Western Australia: Will Sutherland (c), Scott Boland, Harry Dixon, Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Campbell Kellaway, Blake MacDonald, David Moody, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Oliver Peake, Peter Siddle.

New South Wales squad vs Tasmania: Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Ollie Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards (c), Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Liam Hatcher, Sam Konstas, Blake Nikitaras, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Philippe, Tanveer Sangha.