Australian opener Usman Khawaja has continued his golden form with the bat as he scored yet another century of his career in the ongoing third and final Test against South Africa at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
It was overall’s Khawaja 13th ton in the longest format, and he reached the milestone when he pulled South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada for two runs during the opening session on Day 2. With the century at the SCG, Khawaja has joined an elite club of players to have scored three consecutive hundreds at the iconic Sydney venue.
The swashbuckling left-handed batter has now scored triple figures in three straight Test matches in Sydney, following centuries in both innings of the Ashes Test against England at this venue last year.
Notably, just three other players have previously completed that feat. Khawaja has now joined the list that features the Aussie duo of Wally Hammond, and Doug Walters, along with India legend VVS Laxman.
It has been an amazing 12 months for Khawaja, who has now smashed five hundreds in Test cricket since his return to the Australian side for the Syndey Test last year. The Queensland cricketer hadn’t played a red-ball fixture for his country for almost 2 and a half years prior to his comeback in the whites during last year’s Ashes.
The 36-year-old has piled up 1080 runs at an average of 67.50 from the 11 matches last year, and no wonder he has been nominated for the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year for 2022 alongside Rabada and England duo of Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow.
Coming back to the second day’s proceedings in the ongoing third Test, Khawaja has reached 172 off 335 deliveries, with the help of 18 boundaries, including a six. The play has been stopped due to rain, and the hosts have scored 394/6 with Khawaja (172) and Travis Head (17) unbeaten at the crease.
