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Ashes 2023 | Usman Khawaja Creates History; Joins Elite List

image-lj4ck4s2Usman Khawaja celebrates his half-century in Edgbaston (Twitter)

Usman Khawaja resumed Australia’s run-chase on Day 5, alongside overnight batter and night watchman Scott Boland. The charismatic opener unleashed 141 in the first innings to slam his 15th Test century, fourth in Ashes, and provided his side a splendid start with David Warner on a tense fourth evening in Edgbaston.

Apart from headlining Australia’s batting for a major part in the opening match of the series, the cricketer has also scaled a new height in Tests, something which was previously achieved by only 12 batters in the formats near 150-year history.

Khawaja becomes 13th cricketer to unlock this milestone

Usman Khawaja opened the batting for Australia and safely guided them during the twilight stages of Day 1. The batting veteran resumed on the following day, and prolonged his overnight stay until he unfurled the innings of the match with his 141. He was dismissed early on Day 3, only to hold his bat again on the fourth evening to launch Australia’s run-chase response.

As he bats amidst a tense run-chase for his side on Day 5, the cricketer became only the 13th man in Test history to bat everyday in a five-day Test match. Notably, he also became only the second Australian to achieve the feat, after Kim Hughes did so at Lord’s in 1980.

Interestingly, as many as three batters have scaled the commendable batting act this year alone, with West Indies duo Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul batting on all five days in Zimbabwe early this year marking the other two instances.

In the meantime, Khawaja’s 141 in the ongoing match turned out to be a decisive knock for his side, after they were reduced to 67-3 in pursuit of England’s 393 in the first innings. The 36-year-old formed crucial stands in successive with Travis Head, Cameron Green and Alex Carey before perishing to a scorching Ollie Robinson yorker.

Australia resumed the final day’s play at 107-3, still another 174 runs away from manufacturing an emphatic win in the first Ashes Test of 2023.