ISLAMABAD: Australia were in the driving seat on the first day of the second Test match in Karachi on Saturday, finishing at 251-3 with a stellar century by left-handed opener Usman Khawaja.
Having fallen three runs short of a hundred in the drawn first Test in Rawalpindi, Pakistan-born Khawaja anchored Australia's innings after they won the toss and opted to bat on a dry pitch, hitting 13 boundaries and one six.
At stumps on the opening day of the second Test match between Pakistan and Australia, Khawaja remained unbeaten on 127 from 266 balls with nightwatchman Nathan Lyon at the other end. A nightwatchman is a term used in cricket for a lower-order batter sent earlier to the crease to save other capable batters from getting dismissed during the close of play when the light is usually bad.
Australian openers David Warner and Khawaja did well to put up an 82-run partnership after the visitors won the toss and elected to bat first. All-rounder Faheem Ashraf struck first when Warner edged one straight into the hands of wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan. He scored 36 off 28 balls.
In-form batter Marnus Labuschagne was dismissed on 0 by spinner Sajid Khan, who ran him out by taking a direct shot at the stumps and hitting them. Former Australian captain Steve Smith and Khawaja then put up a 159-run partnership, with the former scoring 72 runs before he was dismissed by Pakistan’s Hassan Ali as Ashraf picked up a brilliant catch.
The first Test match played between the two sides in Rawalpindi ended in a draw last week, leaving many fans disappointed by a dry, flat pitch that had more to offer to batters than bowlers.
