ICC World T20 2022 | Australia reveal their first-ever indigenous themed kits for a marquee event

Australia have unveiled the kits they will be wearing at the ICC World T20 to take place on their home soil next month. The reigning champions will sport an indigenous-themed kit to pay tribute to the First Nations people of the nation, which has been designed by two women having aboriginal roots. Aunty Fiona Clarke belongs to the Kirrae Whurrong group and has relations to former cricketer James Couzens who was part of the first sports side from Down Under to tour England in 1968. Her co-designer, Courtney Hagen, is a representative of the Butchulla and Gubbi Gubbi group.

The shirts feature a yellow and green gradient with black sleeves and shoulder blades. The torso region of the jersey is imprinted with artwork featuring the famous 'Walkabout Wickets' painting at the center that had been designed by Clarke in 2016 for the 150th anniversary of an iconic match played by Aboriginal XI at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The trousers and caps will be dyed in black, with the latter sporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags on the brim. In the long-sleeved versions of the jersey, there will be additional artwork on the arms as well.

"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 said in a video released by Cricket Australia.

"In the middle we’ve been able to incorporate the colours of both of First Nations flags in Australia. So you’ve got the red, black and yellow, which represents Aboriginal flag and the blue, white and green which represents the Torres Strait Islander flag," Hagen explained.

This is the first time that Australia will be wearing an indigenous-themed kit at a World Cup event, having had frequent tributes to the aboriginal people included in their kits over the past few years. The team will kick off the marquee event with a clash against neighbouring rivals New Zealand on October 22 at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground.