ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Australia opener Usman Khawaja narrowly missed out on what would have been a memorable hundred in Pakistan on Sunday however the 35-year-old considers himself fortunate simply to be taking part in in the nation of his delivery.
Khawaja’s breezy 97 led Australia’s strong reply to Pakistan’s 476-4 declared in the opening take a look at on the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The pleasure was build up for what would have been his third take a look at hundred in 5 innings however the Islamabad-born left-hander bungled a reverse sweep, a brief that in any other case proved notably productive, to fall quick.
“It’s disappointing. Cricket is a humorous sport, it is simply three runs,” Khawaja instructed reporters after Australia completed day three on 271-2.
“You bat so properly for 97 and you then get out, you are do not get 100.
“You come again into the change rooms and it in all probability feels worse than getting a 20 in some respects.
“I’d have cherished 100 out right here in Rawalpindi, down the street from the place I grew up.”
The left-hander made a profitable return to check cricket in the Sydney Ashes take a look at in opposition to England in January.
Playing his first take a look at in greater than two years, Khawaja, batting at quantity 5, smashed a century in every innings.
“To put it in perspective, I wasn’t even in the Australian crew a couple of months in the past. So I’m very grateful to be right here,” he mentioned.
Khawaja mentioned most of his relations had been in Karachi, which hosts the second take a look at from Mar. 12.
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; modifying by Ed Osmond)
by 
