Usman Khawaja misses out on fairytale homecoming

SM HUSSAIN: The Australia batter, born in Islamabad, fell agonisingly short of three figures in the first Test against Pakistan. But it was still a joyous knock that deserved a fitting outcome

When Usman Khawaja landed in Pakistan for the historic series against the country of his homeland, he said: “They'll hope I get runs, but they'll be hoping Australia get smashed at the same time.”

On the second day of the Rawalpindi Test, it was conspicuous at the Pindi Stadium. People usually don't come in huge numbers to watch Test cricket in big cities in Pakistan.

Perhaps, Rawalpindi is an exception. The crowd was cheering for not only the home team but also for their 'local boy' Khawaja.

Khawaja held a cricket bat for the first time in Islamabad, a twin city just eight kilometres away from the Pindi Stadium.   

“Spectators have been great, the reception here has been great. There has been a very good vibe,” Khawaja said in the post-match presser.

^{Warner and Khawaja put on 156 for the first wicket (AAMIR QURESHI/AFP/Getty Images)}

In the middle, Khawaja had a smile on his face when his shot failed to beat the cover fielder. There were no jitters or fears. He wanted to enjoy the moment and that he did. 

“I was having a lot of fun, I was enjoying playing, if you put it in perspective I wasn’t in the Australia team a few months ago and I am very grateful to be here,” he said.

He was comfortable against spinners – reverse sweeping Nauman Ali, and late cutting Sajid Khan. His one sweep shot off Sajid went like a bullet to the long-on fence. 

Fawad Alam dropped him in the gully off Shaheen Afridi on 22. On the next two balls, he hit consecutive fours to rub salt in Afridi’s wound.

A shelled catch, an edge falling just short of second slip, another passing between wicketkeeper and first slip - perhaps it was some sort of divine intervention. Everyone, even the Almighty, wanted him to succeed.

"I am a little bit disappointed, bat so well for 97, you then get out, you come back in the change room, probably you feel worse. I would’ve loved a 100 out here in Rawalpindi where I grew up."

The 100 partnership between Khawaja and Warner came in the 25th over, the fourth century stand between them. 

In the 20th over, Khawaja gave himself room and guided Naseem Shah’s bouncer to the third-man boundary. He scored his fifty in 67 balls during which he middled 60 per cent of deliveries. 

At lunch, he went into the hut with 70 not out off 104 deliveries. 

Batting on 97, Khawaja tried a ferocious reverse sweep against Nauman Ali – with ultra edge showing the ball had hit his right-hand glove and spooned up into the air to be grabbed by Imam-ul-Haq at the forward short-leg. 

^{Pakistan were naturally jubilant to get rid of their fellow countryman (AAMIR QURESHI/AFP/Getty Images)}

“It was touch and go, I felt it glazed my arm, thought it might have nicked my glove. I wasn’t 100 per cent sure. It was a disappointing way to go, but that’s cricket,” he said.

Most cricketers and fans have moved on from Mike Gatting’s infamous reverse sweep in the 1987 World Cup final, but commentator, Mike Haysman isn’t one of them. “Why oh why oh why did he play that shot on 97?! I have got no idea what he was thinking,” he said. 

Khawaja was dejected. Head down, he slowly walked back to the pavilion. “I am a little bit disappointed, bat so well for 97, you then get out, you come back in the change room, probably you feel worse. I would’ve loved a 100 out here in Rawalpindi where I grew up,” he said. 

He was just a stroke away from reaching his first hundred on Pakistan soil and cricket fans on both sides were willing him to achieve the feat. But it wasn't meant to be. 

The homecoming would have been nicer if Khawaja had reached three figures, but then even the happiest stories have a tinge of heartbreak to them.