Usman Khawaja scored his first double-century in Test cricket during the series’ opening Test match against Sri Lanka in Galle. Four overs before lunch was called on Day 2, the left-handed opener achieved the historic milestone.
In the 111st over of the Australian innings, he moved towards a delivery from Prabath Jayasuriya and pushed it well away to delight the Australian dressing room. As can be expected, Khawaja appeared thrilled with the accomplishment.
Here’s how Khawaja brought up his double-century:
At the age of 38, Usman Khawaja scores his first Test double century! ๐ฅ
He becomes the first Australian batter to score a double hundred in Sri Lanka. A century after 33 inningsโwell deserved! ๐๐pic.twitter.com/l0p7Gt0LDL
โ ICC Asia Cricket (@ICCAsiaCricket) January 30, 2025
This made the 38-year-old the first Australian to score two hundreds in Test matches in the island nation. After scoring 147 runs on the first day of play, Khawaja continued his impressive batting performance by reaching 150 runs in the over, which led to him putting together a 200-run partnership with Steve Smith, the standby captain.
At the end of the first day, Khawaja, who had been in a bit of a rut before to the lengthy effort at Galle, revealed that it had been a “tough summer” for him with the bat and addressed the questions about his form and position in the Australia XI.
“I think I ended the summer extremely successfully, but it’s been a difficult one. A lot of people have been telling me how I should proceed with my career and what I should do going forward. When this game is over, I’ll have a family and lovely children. It’s good to get 100 after the summer because it was a difficult time, but I’m very relaxed with everything,” Khawaja remarked following the conclusion of the opening day’s play.
“I am here for the squad and no one else. ‘I don’t care what happens, just make sure you’re on the Sri Lankan tour,’ Andrew McDonald assured me last year. I play cricket for reasons other than just getting tons of runs. “I don’t think sixteen, seventeen, or eighteen hundred will change my life,” Khawaja continued.
Here’s how X reacted to Usman Khawaja remarkable achievement:ย
๐จ๐๐บ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ท๐ฎ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ป๐:
Innings – 29
Runs – 1516
Average – 63.17
50s/100s – 6/5When there’s a match happening in Asia call him up straightway to ton up. pic.twitter.com/t44LdIA4F9
โ Cric Bug (@Smithian_here) January 30, 2025
Usman Khawaja you are for real pic.twitter.com/Gqxs4PjEHz
โ The Spence (@adambspencer) January 30, 2025
Usman Khawaja now has the highest score in Sri Lanka for any Australian side. pic.twitter.com/maJeC06Qsq
โ Adam Morehouse (@ACTCricketStats) January 30, 2025
Usman Khawaja has scored more runs in this innings than he managed during the entire Border-Gavaskar Trophy.#SLvAUS
โ Nic Savage (@nic_savage1) January 30, 2025
Usman Khawaja became the 2nd oldest Australian to score a double century in Test cricket at 38 years, just behind the legendary Don Bradman, who scored a double century at 39. pic.twitter.com/ttn09kCMpm
โ Vijay Anaparthi (@VijayCricketFan) January 30, 2025
In 2016, @Uz_Khawaja was dismissed twice on the same day in Galle & they said Uzzy canโt play spin & here he is in 2025, dominating spin & becoming the first Australian to score a Test double ton in Sri Lanka. What a story, Usman Khawaja #SLvAus pic.twitter.com/Ow1YaVJmhR
โ Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) January 30, 2025
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