Australian Story previews Unbeaten: Usman Khawaja on ABC – Australian Story profiles Usman Khawaja in Unbeaten. The episode traces his Test career through setbacks and questions of belonging. It airs Monday 26 October at 8pm on ABC TV.
Yet this is not only a retrospective on runs scored. The program connects Khawaja’s selection battles with his public stance against racism. It also examines his effort to make cricket more accessible to children. Together, those strands show an Australian sporting figure defining success on his own terms.
Usman Khawaja’s road to the baggy green
In 2011, Khawaja became the first Muslim cricketer to play Test cricket for Australia. He has described feeling unlike the expected image of an Australian player. He did not drink alcohol, and he prayed. His manner on the field also differed from the aggressive stereotype.
Selection was never secure. Friend and fellow cricketer David Warner recalls eight times the selectors dropped Khawaja. However, his comebacks made the career distinctive. Khawaja went on to play 88 Tests and score more than 6,000 runs.
A story beyond cricket
Unbeaten also explores Khawaja’s willingness to speak publicly about racism and the lack of diversity in professional cricket. Meanwhile, his foundation aims to give children from different backgrounds the chance to pursue their ambitions. This work extends the episode’s focus from one career to the next generation.
The program interviews Khawaja’s parents and wife Rachel. It also features Warner, Michael Hussey and Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg. Together, they consider his obstacles and the influence he may leave on the game’s culture.
Watch the Australian Story preview
Australian Story: Unbeaten – Usman Khawaja airs Monday 26 October 2026 at 8pm on ABC TV. It will also be available through ABC iview. For more TV Central ABC coverage, head here, and see Australian Story on ABC iview.
