Australian opener Usman Khawaja struck his maiden double century in the first Test against Sri Lanka on Day 2 at Galle International Stadium, becoming the first Australian to achieve this milestone on Sri Lankan soil.
Khawaja reached his double hundred just before lunch on Day 2 of the Galle Test. The left-handed batter played a stunning innings of 232 runs from 352 balls, which included 16 boundaries and one six.
With this knock, Khawaja surpassed his previous highest Test score of an unbeaten 195 against South Africa at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2023. At 38 years old, he also broke Justin Langer’s long-standing record for the most runs by an Australian batter in an innings in Sri Lanka, trumping Langer’s 166 in Colombo in 2004.
Khawaja also set another record alongside stand-in skipper Steve Smith, as the duo registered the highest third-wicket partnership for Australia on Asian soil. They broke a 46-year-old record set by Allan Border and Kim Hughes, who had put together a 222-run stand against India at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai in 1979.
Smith eventually departed after playing a magnificent innings of 141 runs off 251 balls, which featured 12 fours and two sixes.
On Wednesday, Smith made history by scoring his 35th Test century and becoming only the fourth Australian batter to reach the 10,000-run milestone in Test cricket. He achieved this feat during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
Reaching the 10,000-run mark is a significant milestone in Smith’s illustrious Test career, during which he has demonstrated remarkable consistency and determination.
In 115 Tests and 205 innings, Smith has amassed 10,140 runs at an average of 56.33, with 35 centuries and 41 fifties. His highest score remains 239.
Smith is now the fourth Australian batter to surpass 10,000 Test runs, following Ricky Ponting (13,378), Allan Border (11,174), and Steve Waugh (10,927). He also becomes the 15th player overall to achieve this milestone.
With 35 Test centuries, Smith has surpassed legendary batters such as Younis Khan (Pakistan), Brian Lara (West Indies), Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka), and Sunil Gavaskar (India), all of whom scored 34 Test centuries.
In the ongoing ICC World Test Championship, Smith has scored 1,193 runs at an average of 38.48, with four centuries and four fifties in 34 innings. His best score in the tournament is 140. He is currently the sixth-highest run-scorer in the competition and the second-highest for Australia after Khawaja.
(ANI)
