The highlight has turned towards Usman Khawaja’s spouse, Rachel Khawaja, following the veteran batter’s announcement of his retirement from international cricket. Whereas Khawaja’s determination marked the top of a distinguished red-ball profession, it additionally renewed public curiosity in his household – significantly Rachel’s private journey, skilled life and her outspoken stance in opposition to on-line abuse.
Rachel Khawaja, previously often called Rachel McLellan, has develop into a broadly mentioned determine amongst cricket followers and the broader Australian public, not solely due to her affiliation with the cricketer but in addition resulting from her impartial profession and principled public voice.
Who’s Rachel McLellan?
Background and training
Rachel was born and raised in Australia, with studies typically linking her upbringing to cities corresponding to Sydney or Brisbane. She pursued larger training on the College of New South Wales, the place she accomplished a level in Advertising.
It was throughout her college years that Rachel met Usman Khawaja round 2015. Their relationship grew steadily, resulting in an engagement in 2016. Earlier than their marriage, Rachel made the deeply private determination to transform from Catholicism to Islam, a alternative she has persistently described as her personal and rooted in understanding and religion.
Marriage and household life
The couple formalized their relationship with a nikah ceremony in 2017, adopted by a marriage celebration in 2018. Since then, Rachel and Usman have constructed a household collectively and are mother and father to 2 daughters, Aisha Rahil and Ayla Fozia.
Regardless of Usman’s demanding worldwide cricket schedule, Rachel has typically spoken about sustaining steadiness between household life {and professional} commitments. The couple are broadly regarded for his or her openness and mutual respect, typically sharing glimpses of their household life whereas sustaining clear boundaries round privateness.
Profession in Media and Enterprise Growth
Past being a cricketer’s partner, Rachel Khawaja has established her personal skilled identification. She works as a Enterprise Growth Supervisor and can also be a reporter and presenter with 7Cricket. Viewers commonly see her protecting matches, producing cricket-related content material, and interesting with followers by means of considerate storytelling.
Her visibility in sports activities media, mixed along with her function as a mom, has made her a relatable determine for a lot of girls navigating high-profile careers alongside household tasks.
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Why Rachel Khawaja is trending now?
Rachel has not too long ago been within the public eye for causes past cricket. Following a Bondi Seashore capturing incident in December 2025, she revealed that her household grew to become the goal of Islamophobic abuse on social media. Rachel shared screenshots of vile feedback directed at her daughters, condemning the sustained hatred they face due to Usman’s religion.
Her determination to talk out drew widespread assist from followers, fellow journalists and members of the sporting neighborhood. Many praised her braveness in confronting on-line hate head-on and utilizing her platform to focus on the real-world affect of Islamophobia on households.
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