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Record Alert! Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja Pip Aussie Greats With A Historic 266-Run Stand

Soumyajit Dutta

Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja stitches up historic partnership [Source: AP Photos]Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja stitches up historic partnership [Source: AP Photos]

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Australia’s Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith scripted history on Day 2 of the first Test against Sri Lanka, crafting a monumental 266-run partnership for the third wicket. The duo stitched up the highest ever by an Australian pair in Sri Lanka in Test cricket. 

Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja eclipsed the previous record of 200 runs set by Adam Gilchrist and Damien Martyn anchoring Australia to a dominant position by the first session of Day 2 at the Galle International Stadium.  

Players
Runs
Year
Venue
Usman Khawaja & Steve Smith 2662025 Galle
Adam Gilchrist & Damien Martyn2002004Kandy
Marnus Labuschagne & Steve Smith1342022Galle

Highest third-wicket partnership for Australia in Sri Lanka in Tests

The Record-Breaking Stand

After winning the toss and opting to bat, Australia faced early setbacks as Travis Head (57 off 40) and Marnus Labuschagne (20 off 50) fell early. However, Khawaja (184* at the time of writing) and Smith (141 off 251) turned the tide with a marathon stand that spanned 69.5 overs. 

Their partnership, marked by patience and precision, dismantled Sri Lanka’s spin-heavy attack on a turning track. Khawaja, nearing a double century, showcased his subcontinental prowess by raining boundaries, while Smith notched his 35th Test hundred, combining textbook shots with 12 boundaries and 2 sixes.

Smith-Khawaja Surpasses Legends  

The duo’s 266-run alliance surpassed the storied 200-run effort by Gilchrist and Martyn, who had rescued Australia from a slump during their 2004 Kandy Test. That partnership, forged at a rapid pace that saw Gilchrist’s 144 off 212 balls, had long been a benchmark for Australian resilience in Sri Lanka. More recently, Smith and Labuschagne added 134 in Galle in 2022, a partnership now dwarfed by Khawaja and Smith’s latest feat.  

Sri Lanka’s Toil Against Australia 

Sri Lanka’s bowlers struggled for breakthroughs, with spinner Jeffrey Vandersay (2) claiming Smith lbw late on Day 1, ending his 141-run vigil. Prabath Jayasuriya dismissed Head early, but the hosts lacked consistency, conceding a lot of runs per over. Nishan Peiris and Asitha Fernando toils without reward as Australia’s batters dominate the 1st Test.