KARACHI: Pakistan-born Usman Khawaja’s marathon knock finally came to an end as Australia eyed a big score on a slow wicket in the second test against Pakistan on Sunday.
Khawaja’s 160 in nine hours and 12 minutes ended in the second session on Day 2 when he was clean bowled by off-spinner Sajid Khan (2-110) before Australia reached 407-7 at tea.
Resuming on an overnight 127, Khawaja defied Pakistan pace and spin before Sajid’s ball drifted away enough and hit the top of the off stump as the left-hander went onto the back foot to play a defensive shot but missed the line of the ball.
Sajid picked up both his wickets in the most productive session for Pakistan with left-arm spinner Nauman Ali (1-91) also clean bowling Cameroon Green (28) in the last over before the break to get his first wicket.
Sajid earlier had Travis Head (23) lbw off a fuller delivery that didn’t spin enough as the batsman tried to play across the line and was struck low on the front pad.
Alex Carey was not out on 26 with Mitchell Starc not out on 1.
Khawaja raised his bat to acknowledge the cheers of the crowd, who chanted “Khawaja, Khawaja” as he left the field after his century in the city that was once his family home.
Khawaja scored just two more boundaries on Sunday to add to his 13 on day one, but tired the Pakistan bowlers through his sedate knock that came off 329 deliveries.
Earlier, Khawaja added 28 to his overnight score in the first session as Australia added a further 81 for the loss of only nightwatchman Nathan Lyon’s (38) wicket.
Fast bowlers Shaheen Afridi (0-68) and Hasan Ali (1-56) couldn’t get any lateral movement with the second new ball that was only 10 overs old and spinners Sajid and Nauman Ali also couldn’t get the better of the patient Khawaja.
Lyon defied Pakistan for an hour and 15 minutes but Pakistan missed its chances to break the stand. The home team called appealed against Lyon in the day’s third over bowled by Hasan Ali but the television replays suggested the ball could have missed the leg stump.
Faheem Ashraf (2-55) then dropped a one-handed catch off his own bowling when Lyon had reached 31 before the right-arm seamer finally broke the partnership when he knocked back Lyon’s middle stump.
Khawaja raised his 150 off 322 balls with a single behind square leg off Hasan as the Pakistan bowlers struggled to challenge him.
Australia’s first test in Pakistan since 1998 ended in a draw in Rawalpindi where the pitch was rated as below average by the ICC.
Khawaja out for 160 as Australia reaches 407-7 vs Pakistan
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Khawaja out for 160 as Australia reaches 407-7 vs Pakistan
- Khawaja scored a century in the country of his birth on the first day
- Pakistan had another frustrating session and got the sole wicket of nightwatchman Nathan Lyon
T20 World Cup: England rout Sri Lanka for 95 to win Super Eights opener
- England were asked to bat first, scored what looked like below-par 146-9
- Archer, Will Jacks took five wickets to leave Sri Lanka top order in tatters
KANDY: England routed Sri Lanka for 95 to give captain Harry Brook a perfect birthday present as they opened the T20 World Cup Super Eights phase with a resounding 51-run win in Kandy on Sunday.
After England were asked to bat first and scored what looked like a below-par 146-9, Jofra Archer and Will Jacks took five wickets during the six-over power play to leave Sri Lanka’s top order in tatters at 34-5.
“That’s a beautiful birthday present,” said Brook, who turned 27 on Sunday.
“I thought we played exceptionally there. To get over the line and bowl them out for less than 100 is an awesome effort.
“I didn’t think there were really any demons on the pitch. I think the spinners on both sides used the pace really well, and that’s what brought a lot of wickets.”
It was England’s 12th win in a row against Sri Lanka and on a pitch that was sticky and slow after rain all week in Kandy.
The margin of victory gives them a healthy net run rate advantage in a Super Eights group that could be further affected by weather, after the New Zealand-Pakistan match was washed out on Saturday in Colombo.
“We’re buzzing with that,” said Jacks who was named player of the match for the third time in five matches in the tournament.
“At the halfway stage, we were pleased to get up to 146, but obviously we knew we were going to have to bowl well and work hard.”
The searing pace of Jofra Archer accounted for both openers, including the in-form Pathum Nissanka (9), who had scored a century and 62 in his last two knocks but failed to clear Jamie Overton at deep mid-wicket.
Archer finished with 2-20 and Jacks 3-22, the latter accounting for Kusal Mendis (4) and Pavan Rathnayake (0) in consecutive balls.
Dunith Wellalage staved off the hat-trick but lasted only 10 balls before also falling to Jacks, for 10.
LONE BATTLE
Dasun Shanaka fought a lone battle scoring 30 off 24 balls before falling to Adil Rashid.
The Sri Lanka captain took on the leg-spinner but Jacks took the catch and tossed the ball to Tom Banton before stepping over the boundary.
“It’s one bad game which is not affordable in a World Cup,” said Shanaka.
“But we need to bounce back in the next couple of games.”
Sri Lanka earlier restricted England to 146-9 with left-arm spinner Wellalage taking 3-26.
Phil Salt scored 62 at the top of the order but Sri Lanka, who are missing three of their frontline bowlers, contained the rest of the England batting line-up with regular wickets.
Wellalage was introduced during the power play and trapped the out-of-form Jos Buttler (7) and Brook (14), both lbw, as England limped to 68-4 at the halfway mark.
Salt was caught in the deep off Wellalage after facing 40 deliveries with six fours and two sixes.
Jacks, with 21, was the only other England batsman to score more than 20.
“Jacksie was pretty annoyed with the way he got out,” said Brook, who then explained why the new ball was tossed to the off-spinner.
“He said to me he always bowls better when he’s angry, and thankfully he got off to a cracking start.”
Left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka took 2-25 while Maheesh Theekshana took 2-21 with his offspin.
