Australian star Ash Gardner knew there would be backlash when she called out Cricket Australia for scheduling a match on Australia Day.

But the Indigenous all-rounder had to concede she 'underestimated' the fallout after posting a statement on social media declaring it was a 'day of hurt and a day of mourning' for Indigenous Australians and she'd rather not be playing.

After starring for Australia in the opening T20 World Cup win over New Zealand in South Africa, Gardner opened up on the significance of the fallout and how she tried to turned a negative into a positive.

'I knew when posting that statement that there was going to be backlash,' she said.

'I think I underestimated how much I copped. I try my best not to look at all that stuff, but I feel like it's only human nature to read comments and things like that.

The 25-year-old Muruwari woman, whose mother and ancestors come from north-western NSW, took to social media during the side's series against Pakistan to share her desire to educate Aussies on just what the national holiday means to Indigenous peoples.

Gardner was scathing of the decision to schedule one of Australia's fixtures against Pakistan on January 26 - the day the First Fleet arrived in Sydney in 1788, and transformed the great southern land into the multicultural country it is today. 

'Reflecting on what January 26 means to me and my people, it is a day of hurt and mourning,' she posted on social media.

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

'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 wrote on social media.

'As a national team we have a platform to raise awareness about certain issues and I'm using this platform to hopefully educate others on a journey to learn about the longest living culture in the world.

'When I take the field for this game, I will certainly be reflecting and thinking about all my ancestors and peoples lives who changed from this day,' wrote Gardner.

She's also become a powerful and well-respected advocate for First Nations peoples.

Gardner was a key driving force behind introducing an Indigenous Round to the WBBL in 2021, with First Nations customs like a smoking ceremony, basket weaving and a barefoot circle also now commonplace in the league - and the male BBL equivalent.

The superstar batter and off-spinner also has her own charity, the Ashleigh Gardner Foundation, which aims to 'increase the percentage of Aboriginal kids finishing high school'.

But she didn't back down. 

'But I guess it was a moment where I stuck to my guns and I put that statement out there because that's what I believed in,' she said.

'I just had to stay true to what I said, and I guess I've just tried to flip that and turn it into a positive and it's sparked conversations.'

Gardner said in the days after she did question that she was doing the right thing in being as vocal as she was.

But the 25-year-old said support from her teammates reinforced that she was better to be strong about her beliefs for the betterment of the cause.

'So, I guess trying to take the confidence out of that and the support that I had from my teammates and support staff was huge because it was a couple of dark days there where I was like, 'Why did I do that?'

'So, I guess trying to take the confidence out of that and the support that I had from my teammates and support staff was huge because it was a couple of dark days there where I was like, "Why did I do that?"

'But knowing that it was for a good cause and then just trying to take that confidence with that going into my cricket as well sticking to my guns with how I play cricket, and then how I act off the field as well, trying to keep them pretty close together.'

Australia will play Bangladesh in its next World Cup game on Wednesday morning.