Usman Khawaja termed his maiden hundred in ODI as a huge thing simply because the first one is always difficult to get.
Khawaja hit a 104-run knock and shared a 193 run stand with the captain and fellow opener Aaron Finch to play a significant role in Australia's 32-run win in the third ODI. "Yeah, it's huge. The first one is always hardest - no matter what you're playing. It's obviously a special one. I found the same thing in Test cricket as well as in one-day cricket. I got that 98 before a few years ago, it was frustrating and disappointing," said Khwaja.
Australia have won an overseas ODI for the first time since 2017 and Khawaja is absolutely delighted.
"There was no set plan. It was just the feeling out in the middle. Instincts. When a bowler comes on - you feel like he can take him. When Kuldeep came on, I knew he (Finch) was hitting to the short side with the spin. When he took him on that first over, it was obvious he could clear the rope pretty easily with that short boundary.
"So as soon as I got any strike, I was just trying to get a single and give him as much strike as possible. That's just a partnership - it's how you work as batsmen, you sort of understand what the other guy is trying to do."
