Almost four years have passed since Usman Khawaja’s disappointing performance on the Ashes tour, but now the veteran opener has finally achieved his first Test century on English soil. His remarkable innings has provided a much-needed fightback for the Australian team at Edgbaston. Currently standing at 5-311, the visitors are trailing by 82 runs at the end of day two of the first Test.
The Australians found themselves in a dire situation after a shaky start in their second day’s play, losing three crucial wickets. However, Khawaja remained composed and displayed the elegant strokeplay for which he is known. Since his return to the team in January 2022, the 36-year-old has been in outstanding form, and his century was a testament to his remarkable skills. He reached this milestone by playing a late cut off the bowling of England captain Ben Stokes in the 68.3 overs of the Australian innings.
Khawaja’s jubilation was evident in his celebration, as he thrust his arms above his head and shouted “c’mon” repeatedly. He then threw his bat, removed his helmet, and looked up towards the sky, savoring the special moment. Former England captain Nasser Hussain recognized the significance of his celebration, stating, “You can see what that hundred means to him.”
Since his recall for the Sydney Test in 2022, Khawaja has been on an impressive run, accumulating 1732 runs at an average of 69.28. He has also scored seven centuries, with a highest score of 195 not out. This is a remarkable turnaround from his disappointing performance during the 2019 Ashes tour, where he only managed to score 122 runs at an average of 20.33 and was subsequently dropped from the team after the third Test.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting praised Khawaja’s innings, acknowledging his contribution as a solid opener in the team. He described the century as a significant moment for Khawaja, saying, “It’s a monkey off his back, absolutely no doubt about it.”
Although the English team thought they had finally dismissed Khawaja when Stuart Broad breached his defense with the new ball, their hopes were dashed when the delivery was deemed a front-foot no-ball. The Australians were also fortunate to receive additional chances due to missed opportunities by Jonny Bairstow, who failed to capitalize on opportunities to stump Cameron Green, dropped a catch off Alex Carey, and was unable to catch a ball that Carey edged for a four.
Travis Head played aggressively and reached a half-century before losing his wicket to Moeen Ali, and Cameron Green was bowled by a beautiful delivery from Moeen, ending his innings at 38.
Khawaja and Carey will resume their partnership on day three, with Khawaja on 126 and Carey on 52.
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Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
