Usman Khawaja Achieves Maiden Test Double Century as Australia Dominates Sri Lanka in Galle

Australian opener Usman Khawaja has etched his name into the history books by scoring his first-ever double century in Test cricket during Day 2 of the opening Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium.

At 38 years old, Khawaja played a sublime knock of 232 runs from 352 balls, featuring 16 boundaries and a six. His remarkable innings, which came just before lunch, not only marked his highest-ever Test score but also surpassed his previous best of 195* against South Africa in Sydney earlier in 2023.

Khawaja’s innings also broke a significant record, as he overtook Justin Langer's previous record for the most runs by an Australian batter in Sri Lanka, with Langer's 166 runs from a 2004 Test in Colombo.

The standout performance from Khawaja was complemented by an exceptional partnership with stand-in captain Steve Smith. The two batsmen set a new record for the highest third-wicket partnership for Australia on Asian soil, surpassing the 222-run stand between Allan Border and Kim Hughes in Chennai back in 1979.

Smith himself played a pivotal role in Australia’s dominance, scoring an impressive 141 runs off 251 balls. His knock included 12 fours and two sixes. This partnership with Khawaja was a testament to the skill and composure both players displayed in seizing control of the match.

The record-breaking achievements didn’t stop there for Smith. On Day 1, he had already made headlines by scoring his 35th Test century, joining an elite group of players. This century also propelled him to over 10,000 career Test runs, making him the fourth Australian to reach that milestone. Smith now joins the ranks of legendary Australian batsmen like Ricky Ponting (13,378 runs), Allan Border (11,174), and Steve Waugh (10,927). Additionally, his century tally of 35 has seen him surpass greats like Younis Khan, Brian Lara, Mahela Jayawardene, and Sunil Gavaskar, all of whom have 34 Test centuries.

In the ongoing ICC World Test Championship, Smith has accumulated 1,193 runs at an average of 38.48, including four centuries and four fifties. He ranks as the second-highest run-scorer for Australia in the competition, just behind Khawaja.

With Khawaja’s historic double century and Smith’s record-breaking feats, Australia has firmly established their dominance in the match, setting the stage for a commanding performance in the series.