Indigenous cricketer hits out at international match being scheduled on Australia Day

Cricket star and proud indigenous woman Ashleigh Gardner has lashed out at the decision to schedule an Australian women’s international match on January 26.

The Aussie women’s team will play Pakistan in a three-match for the T20 International series, which kicks off on Tuesday (January 24).

The second game was scheduled to take place in Hobart on Thursday (January 26), which just so happens to be Australia Day.

The decision to host a match that day has raised a few eyebrows amongst some players, with Australian national team all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner lashing out on Twitter over the decision.

"As a proud Muruwari woman and reflecting on what January 26 means to me and my people it is a day of hurt and a day of mourning," she wrote on Twitter.

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— Ashleigh Gardner (@akgardner97) January 21, 2023

"My culture is something I hold close to my heart and something I’m always so proud to speak about whenever asked."

She added: "I also am fortunate enough to play cricket for a living which is something I dreamt of as a kid."

The Aussie all-star went on to say that the move doesn't 'sit well' with her.

"Unfortunately this year the Australian women’s cricket team has been scheduled to play a game on the 26th of January which certainly doesn’t sit well with me as an individual but also all the people I’m representing," she said.

The 25-year-old will still play on January 26, however the all-rounder described says it will be a 'day of mourning' that needs to be recognised as the 'beginning of genocide, massacres and dispossession'.

"As a national team we have a platform to raise awareness about certain issues and I’m using this platform to hopefully help educate others on a journey to learn about the longest living culture in the world,” Gardner said.

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— Ashleigh Gardner (@akgardner97) January 21, 2023

"For those who don’t have a good understanding of what that day means it was the beginning of genocide, massacres and dispossession."

She added: "When I take the field for this game I will certainly be reflecting and thinking about all of my ancestors and peoples lives who changed from this day."

Despite the Hobart match on Thursday, Cricket Australia has not scheduled any Big Bash League games on January 26 this year.

They also won’t refer to the day as Australia Day in any marketing or publicity of the women’s T20 game in Hobart on Thursday.