'My goodness': Cricket world in disbelief over Usman Khawaja moment
Cricket fans were left in disbelief on the opening day of the third Test between Australia and Pakistan when Usman Khawaja suffered another heartbreaking near-miss.
Khawaja's run-fest in Pakistan continued on Monday, but the Aussie opener once again fell agonisingly short of a century in his country of birth.
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Khawaja (91) and Steve Smith (59) combined for a 138-run stand to turn the momentum back in Australia's favour after the tourists were reduced to 2-8 in the third over.
Khawaja, who was born in Pakistan, scored 97 in the first Test and followed it up with scores of 160 and 44 not out in the second.
However he fell in the 90s for the second time in three Tests on Monday, with Babar Azam producing a brilliant one-handed catch at slip off the bowling of Sajid Khan to send him packing.
It was the eighth time the Aussies have seen a batter dismissed in the 90s since the start of the Ashes late last year.
My goodness, what a catch from Babar Azam! That's a huge moment#PAKvAUS
— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) March 21, 2022
That was an UNREAL catch! @babarazam258 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 #PAKvAUS
— Rai M. Azlan (@Mussanaf) March 21, 2022
Hard Luck Khawaja, missed his CENTURY by a barest of margin 2nd time in the series but played a gem of knock under pressure after two early dismissals. 2nd time got out in 90s with a 160. He likes this opposition Pakistan, as he is averaging 80+ against them in Tests. #PAKvAUS pic.twitter.com/uo9U0oyOQr
— Ahmad Haseeb (@iamAhmadhaseeb) March 21, 2022
3 centuries denied 💔
Usman Khawaja got his century denied thrice against 🇵🇰 in Test Cricket, the most by any Aussie batsman against 🇵🇰#PAKvAUS #AUSvPAK #Cricket pic.twitter.com/38WLnAdssI— Cricket Holic.PK (@CricketHolicPK) March 21, 2022
Look at the spot on the bat, it shows mostly the balls he played, he middled it perfectly. Khwaja hot form continues 🔥🔥 sad for his 90. @Uz_Khawaja #PAKvAUS #AUSvPAK #fab4 #Smith #testcricket #IPL2022 #BabarAzam𓃵 #ViratKohli #RohitSharma pic.twitter.com/o2KWrIDp4Z
— Ã𝖆𝖍𝖆𝖓 (@famededo_) March 21, 2022
Sad for Usman Khawaja pic.twitter.com/KkImW4b2S2
— Ayesha Zia (@chaifolk21) March 21, 2022
Ohhhh bobby!!!!! You can't catch that so easily 🔥
Feeling sad for @Uz_Khawaja 🥲#PAKvAUS pic.twitter.com/pSWqDJTnEc— Yaseen (@Yaseenchaudry3) March 21, 2022
Usman Khawaja continues incredible form
The 35-year-old continued to heap more pain on Pakistan on Monday in Lahore, but he did receive a slice of luck along the way.
Khawaja was on 12 when he edged spinner Nauman Ali to first slip - only for the ball to sneak under the fingertips of captain Babar and through his legs.
Then next ball, Nauman dropped a sharp caught and bowled opportunity when Smith was on 19 and the scoreboard read 2-44.
The missed chances proved costly, with Khawaja and Smith settling after that to guide Australia out of danger.
Smith was eyeing off his first Test century since January 2021, but his hopes were crushed when his bat hit the flappy part of his back pad and he was trapped plumb lbw by Naseem Shah.
The former Test skipper started walking off even before the umpire raised his finger.
Khawaja's latest knock took his series tally to 392 runs at an average of 130.66.
However he revealed after stumps how much he was struggling physically.
"I was a little bit sick. I got some medication from the doc in between breaks," he said.
"I wasn't feeling well at all. There were a lot of mind games in between.
"I just told myself, 'just keep going, go as long as you can, just keep pushing through'.
"And to push through for five hours - I felt absolutely horrible at the end of the day.
"I could have easily just gone harder and played a big shot and got out on 20 or 30.
"So for me to get 90 on the day with the heat, I'm actually really happy with it."
with AAP
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