Australian men's cricket team will don Indigenous inspired jersey in the T20 World Cup. (Cricket Australia)The Australian men’s cricket team is set to wear specially-designed Indigenous shirts in the upcoming T20 World Cup, a move aimed at recognising and encouraging the Indigenous Australians’ role in the sport.
The uniform was created by Aunty Fiona Clarke and Courtney Hagen in partnership with Asics; the two have previously collaborated on other Indigenous designs worn by Australia. The hosts will don an Indigenous-inspired jersey for the first time at a World Cup event.
For the first time ever, an Australian cricket team will compete in a major event sporting a playing uniform honouring the First Nations. Artwork surrounds the shirt, which has black sleeves and a green and gold gradient on the trunk.
Our men’s national team will don a new uniform designed by Kirrae Whurrong woman Aunty Fiona Clarke, in collaboration with Butchulla and Gubbi Gubbi woman Courtney Hagan, when they defend their @T20WorldCup title on home soil next month ❤️💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/Y2aqOzQ5rw
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) September 14, 2022
The black trousers and black cap will have the colours of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags on the brim, while the long-sleeved version will have the gold and green artwork extended onto the sleeves of the top.
The Walkabout Wickets artwork that has evolved into a dominant theme is once again centred on the front of the shirt, as it has been in prior designs.
The kit was designed by Aunty Fiona Clarke and Courtney Hagen. Clarke is related to James Couzens, a cricketer who was part of the Aboriginal XI that played a landmark match at the MCG in 1866 and also toured England two years later.
“The overall design is to do with the process of connecting with yourself as an individual, as a team, in the community and whatever is surrounded by you … with the river, the land, whatever you see,” Clarke was quoted by cricekt.com.au.
The ICC T20 World Cup will be hosted by Australia from October 16 to November 13. Australia will start their campaign against their Trans-Tasman rival New Zealand on October 22.