Australia's Usman Khawaja put up an impressive performance in his first test debut against Sri Lanka on Thursday, scoring a marathon 232 runs and forming century-plus partnerships with Steve Smith and Josh Inglis to lead his team to a colossal total of 654/6 before declaring their first innings. This marks Australia's highest test total in Asia and is sure to catch the attention of cricket fans worldwide. Don't miss out on this historic match and be sure to subscribe to catch all the action.
Australia Demolishes Sri Lanka with Record-Breaking Total
In a historic match at the Galle International Stadium, Australia's Usman Khawaja made a stunning test debut, scoring an impressive 232 runs and spearheading his team to a mammoth 654/6 before declaring their first innings.
Khawaja's Marathon Innings
Khawaja, who was recalled to the Australian side after a four-year absence, made the most of his opportunity. He batted for over 10 hours, facing 349 balls and hitting 24 fours and two sixes. His innings was the backbone of Australia's record-breaking total.
Century Partnerships
Khawaja shared crucial century partnerships with Steve Smith (145 runs) and Josh Inglis (106 runs). Smith, himself a batting maestro, provided a solid base, while Inglis played a counter-attacking innings to accelerate the scoring rate.
Historic Total
Australia's 654/6 is their highest test total in Asia, eclipsing the previous record of 643 runs scored against Bangladesh in 2017. It also ranks as the fourth-highest test score by any team in Asia.
Sri Lanka's Response
Sri Lanka, in response, struggled to keep up with Australia's impressive pace. At the time of writing, they have scored 133/2, still trailing by a massive 521 runs.
Top 5 FAQs
1. Who is Usman Khawaja? Usman Khawaja is a Pakistani-born Australian cricketer who made his test debut for Australia in 2011. He has scored over 4,000 Test runs and has established himself as one of the most reliable batsmen in the world.
2. Why was Khawaja recalled to the Australian team? Khawaja was recalled due to injuries to several key players. He has been in excellent form in domestic cricket and has proven his ability to anchor Australia's batting lineup.
3. What are the implications of Australia's record-breaking total? Australia's massive total gives them a significant advantage in the match. They can now dictate terms and apply relentless pressure on Sri Lanka.
4. How significant is Khawaja's performance for Australia? Khawaja's performance is crucial for Australia's hopes of regaining the Ashes later this year. He has shown that he can perform at the highest level and provide stability to the team.
5. What is the history of Australia vs. Sri Lanka in test cricket? Australia has a dominant record against Sri Lanka in test cricket, winning 26 matches, losing 5, and drawing 2. The two teams last played a test series in 2019, which Australia won 2-0.
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With stand-in captain Steve Smith and opener Usman Khawaja leading the charge, Australia piled on the runs in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. Khawaja scored his maiden Test double-century and Smith continued to add to his tally after joining the 10,000 runs club. The two broke multiple records, including the highest partnership by an Australian pair in Sri Lanka and the second-highest partnership in Test cricket history for Australia. Now, with a strong lead and debutant Josh Inglis adding to the total, Australia looks poised to declare and put Sri Lanka on the back foot.
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