Usman Khawaja made a stellar comeback in Test cricket by beating 137 in the first innings and followed it up for another century as Australia extended their dominance over England on Day 4 of the fourth Ashes Test. The Australian southpaw was in imperious form, beating the English bowlers to all parts of Sydney to bring out his second Test hundred – his 10th overall in the game’s longest format. Khawaja’s knock was all the more special, as the batter scored with a batting rate of over 75.
Twitter cheered the Australian batter, who had not played a Test since the Ashes tour of England in 2019.
A century a turn for Khawaja, only the 3rd time the famous ancient SCG has seen two centuries in a test #ash
— Alison Mitchell (@AlisonMitchell) January 8, 2022
Usman Khawaja has scored more runs in two innings this series than Marcus Harris in seven
Marcus Harris has scored more runs in seven innings than the England openers in 14 .#Ash
— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) January 8, 2022
Have a feeling that Khawaja is finally appreciated for how good he is. Especially at home he is so ridiculous can’t believe he hasn’t been a mainstay of the squad for so many years
— Shabab Hossain (@ShababHossain13) January 8, 2022
Khawaja looks like such a top player. Leaves good, good v spin and excellent on the short ball. Stopped way too early in 2019. With Head’s success in this series, Khawaja must be an opening option for the Pakistan tour.
— Adam Sutherland (@ADSutherland_) January 8, 2022
you can’t drop Uzzie now. I’m sorry but it would be illegal
— andie (@anndeejam) January 8, 2022
Khawaja had run away to face Australia in a tough spot after losing their top three – Marcus Harris, David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne – by just 68 runs.
Steve Smith also fell quickly to boost England’s hopes of an unlikely comeback in the Sydney Test.
However, Khawaja along with the young Cameron Green crushed England’s hopes with a brilliant partnership for the fifth wicket.
Green himself recorded half a century as the duo partnered over 150 runs.
At the time of writing, Australia was 258/4 in the second inning, leading 380 runs. Khawaja was undefeated at 101 while Green batted at 67.
promoted
England are playing for pride, having lost to the Ashes after being decimated in the first three Tests. But not much has happened to the tourists in the Sydney Test, other than a brave hundred from Jonny Bairstow.
Bairstow reached the three-digit mark on Day 3, becoming the first Englishman to do so in today’s Ashes.
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