A pressure Ashes ton, Birmingham 2023
Fresh off winning the ICC World Test Championship in 2023, Australia turned their attention to their arch-rivals England with the aim to retain the Ashes. By then, Usman Khawaja had firmly cemented his place alongside David Warner as Australia’s premier opener, and he again showcased his brillaince with a stellar performance in the opening Test of the series.
In the first innings, Khawaja produced another masterclass in patience and control, crafting a superb 141 that formed the backbone of Australia’s reply as they finished just seven runs behind England first innings total. True to his growing reputation for marathon efforts, Khawaja batted for nearly seven hours, ensuring Australia stayed firmly in the contest.
In the second innings, Australia were set a challenging target of 281 and Khawaja’s grit and resilience came to the fore once more. Battling tough conditions, Khawaja faced 197 balls and added a vital 65 runs which was the top score for Australia. Late heroics from Pat Cummins sealed a famous victory for Australia, but it was Khawaja’s outstanding contributions that deservedly earned him the Player of the Match.
