Usman Khawaja hits two tons in same test, becomes 3rd player to achieve rare feat at SCG

Australian batter Usman Khawaja on Saturday scripted history as he became the only third player ever to score centuries in both innings of a Test match in Sydney. Khawaja achieved the rare feat during the penultimate day of the ongoing fourth Ashes Test. Khawaja scored an unbeaten 101 runs off 138 balls in Australia's second innings to help his side post a total of 265 runs on the board. Khawaja had earlier scored 137 runs off 260 balls in the first innings of the same Test match.  

This is the third time that a batter has scored centuries in both innings of a Test match in Sydney. Doug Walters and Ricky Ponting are the other two batters who have scored tons in both innings of a Test match in Sydney. While Walters achieved the feat against West Indies in 1968-69, Ponting hit his two consecutive centuries against South Africa in 2005-06. 

Meanwhile, Khawaja also achieved another feat with his twin century at the SCG. The right-handed batter became only the ninth player to score centuries in both innings of an Ashes Test match. He also became the 87th player in the history of the game to score centuries in both innings of a Test match. Indian opener Rohit Sharma was the last batter to achieve the feat in a Test match. Sharma had scored centuries in both innings of a Test match against South Africa in 2019.

Ashes 2021-22, 4th Test

As far as the ongoing Ashes Test in Sydney is concerned, Australia have posted a mammoth target of 388 runs courtesy of some superb batting performances by Khawaja and Cameron Green, who scored 74 runs off 122 balls. Earlier in the game, Australia declared their first innings at a score of 416/8. In reply, England could muster just 294 runs on the board, allowing Australia to enter the second innings with a massive lead. At stumps on Day 4, England are batting at 30/0 with both its openers still intact. Haseeb Hameed and Zak Crawley will resume batting for England on the final day of the fourth Ashes Test. 

England have already lost the five-match Ashes series after suffering defeats in the first three games in Brisbane, Adelaide, and Melbourne, respectively. 

Image: AP