Usman Khawaja Scores Double Maiden Century Against Sri Lanka At Galle

January 30, 2025: Australia’s Usman Khawaja achieved a career milestone on Thursday, scoring his maiden double century in Test cricket during the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium.

The 38-year-old left-hander reached 200 runs just before lunch on Day 2 of the match, amassing a remarkable 232 runs from 352 balls. His innings included 16 boundaries and one six, surpassing his previous highest Test score of 195 not out against South Africa at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2023.

Khawaja’s stellar performance also saw him break the record for most runs by an Australian batter in Sri Lanka, previously held by Justin Langer, who scored 166 runs in Colombo in 2004. Furthermore, Khawaja and stand-in captain Steve Smith created history together, setting the highest third-wicket partnership for Australia on Asian soil. Their partnership of 222 runs broke a 46-year-old record set by Allan Border and Kim Hughes, who had scored 222 runs against India in Chennai in 1979.

Smith, who played an equally impressive innings, was dismissed after scoring 141 runs off 251 balls, including 12 fours and two sixes. This century was part of a remarkable series of achievements for Smith. On Wednesday, he became only the fourth Australian batter to score 10,000 Test runs. He reached this milestone during the first Test against Sri Lanka, joining the ranks of Ricky Ponting (13,378 runs), Allan Border (11,174 runs), and Steve Waugh (10,927 runs).

Smith has been a consistent performer for Australia in Tests, having scored 10,140 runs in 115 matches at an average of 56.33. He has accumulated 35 centuries and 41 fifties, with his highest score being 239. With 35 Test centuries, Smith has now overtaken cricketing legends like Younis Khan (34 centuries), Brian Lara (34 centuries), Mahela Jayawardene (34 centuries), and Sunil Gavaskar (34 centuries).

In the ongoing ICC World Test Championship, Smith has accumulated 1,193 runs in 34 innings at an average of 38.48, with four centuries and four fifties. He currently stands as the sixth-highest run-scorer in the competition and is the second Australian behind Khawaja.

As Khawaja and Smith continue to make history in the ongoing Test series, their record-breaking feats have added a new chapter to Australia’s cricketing legacy.