2nd Test: Usman Khawaja hundred leads Australia to 251/3 in Karachi

KARACHI (Pakistan): Usman Khawaja smashed his 11th Test hundred and forged a 159-run partnership with Steve Smith to power Australia to 251 for three on the opening day of the second Test against Pakistan on Saturday. Islamabad-born Khawaja had fallen agonisingly short of a hundred in the opening Test in Rawalpindi where he top-scored for his side with a breezy 97. The elegant left-hander made amends in Karachi where he shelved the reverse sweep and made an unbeaten 127, which included 13 fours and a six.

Smith made 72 before falling to Hasan Ali in the penultimate over of the day. Nightwatchman Nathan Lyon had yet to open his account. Earlier, Australia got off to a strong start after Pat Cummins elected to bat on a dry surface at the National Stadium which offered reverse swing as early as in the second session.

Khawaja looked in sublime touch and scored freely on the leg-side after being fed regularly on his pad. His opening partner David Warner was less convincing, though, surviving a couple of LBW appeals and getting hit on his shoulder by a short delivery from Hasan Ali. Warner hit Sajid Khan for a six to bring up Australia's 50 in the 11th over.

Sajid conceded two more sixes in his fourth over, prompting Pakistan captain Babar Azam to take the spinner out of the attack. Seamer Faheem Ashraf broke the 82-run opening stand with a back of a length delivery that Warner, who made 36, could only edge to Mohammad Rizwan behind the stumps. Pakistan tasted a second success soon afterwards when Sajid ran out Marnus Labuschagne for a duck with a direct throw from mid-off.