"Khawaja should have been given opportunity to make his 200" - Twitterati slams Australia for declaring innings on Day 4 

Cricket fans on Saturday, January 7, were furious with Australia for denying Usman Khawaja the opportunity to score his maiden Test double-hundred on Day 4 of the third Test against South Africa at the SCG.

Khawaja was batting at 195 at the end of the second day and five runs would have helped him reach the milestone. Bad light and rain didn't allow Khawaja to reach the sensational feat on the second day. Day 3 of the final Test was washed away completely without a ball being bowled.

To make matters worse, the rain showers delayed play in the morning as the groundsmen took time to clear the wet outfield. Just before it looked like the session would move ahead comfortably, the rain gods once again stepped in as lunch was called at 12:12 PM (Australia Central Standard Time) in Sydney.

At 13:19 local time, Australia declared their innings at 475 for 4, which meant Khawaja was stranded at 195. The hosts were left with 59 overs in the day and possibly another 98 on the last day. The Pat Cummins-led side will need to bowl out South Africa twice to force a result and become the first team to qualify for the 2021-23 World Test Championship final in June.

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cricket.com.au

@cricketcomau

Australia have declared #AUSvSA twitter.com/cricketcomau/s…

cricket.com.au

@cricketcomau

Play will restart at 1:45pm! This is not a drill!

That's 30 minutes from now #AUSvSA

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Play will restart at 1:45pm! This is not a drill!

That's 30 minutes from now #AUSvSA

Australia have declared #AUSvSA twitter.com/cricketcomau/s…

Fans were disappointed as they felt Khawaja should have got at least a few overs to face at the start of play to complete the milestone.

Many opined the game is already out of Australia's favor as a draw appears to be the most likely result. Hence, they felt it made no sense to refuse the opening batter a possible double-ton.

Here is how some of them reacted on Twitter:

𝙸𝚗𝚍𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚒 𝙱. 🎄🎁🌟🐦🌿🚜🌻🇺🇦🐈

@TheOtherIndrani

What difference @patcummins30 would half an hour have made to the game at this stage? (Very little, one feels) #Khawaja should have been given the opportunity to make his 200 today. #AUSvSA

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What difference @patcummins30 would half an hour have made to the game at this stage? (Very little, one feels) #Khawaja should have been given the opportunity to make his 200 today. #AUSvSA

Mankading2.0

@Mankading2_0

@on_drive23 Khawaja 195* par hi reh gya

@on_drive23 Khawaja 195* par hi reh gya 😂😂

cricket kid

@Altafmmd

Test captains declaring with a batter in the nervous 190s
1960 - WI v ENG
Gerry Alexander - Frank Worrell 197*

2004 - IND v PAK
Rahul Dravid - Sachin Tendulkar 194*

2023 - AUS v SA
PAT CUMMINS - USMAN KHAWAJA 195*

@CricketAus #AUSvSA

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Test captains declaring with a batter in the nervous 190s
1960 - WI v ENG
Gerry Alexander - Frank Worrell 197*

2004 - IND v PAK
Rahul Dravid - Sachin Tendulkar 194*

2023 - AUS v SA
PAT CUMMINS - USMAN KHAWAJA 195*

@CricketAus #AUSvSA

Raj kumar

@Rajkuma60181001

@Uz_Khawaja 🙄🙄🙄 195*

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@Uz_Khawaja 🙄🙄🙄 195*

Clark Driver

@DriverDiesel100

Khawaja left on 195*….. couple overs would have done it…… #cricketlive #cricketer #Australia #SouthAfrica

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Khawaja left on 195*….. couple overs would have done it…… #cricketlive #cricketer #Australia #SouthAfrica

Tim Widdowson

@timwiddowson11

@NathJ1212 You ever heard of the world test championships? Imagine being salty our captain declared for best chance of a result for a tiggy 5 runs 🤡. Khawaja no doubt cherishes a test win over 5 more runs

@NathJ1212 You ever heard of the world test championships? Imagine being salty our captain declared for best chance of a result for a tiggy 5 runs 🤡. Khawaja no doubt cherishes a test win over 5 more runs

AD

@cricadharsh

Gotta feel bas for Khawaja

Gotta feel bas for Khawaja

JERM 🇹🇹

@JermtheWorm14

Damn, upset that Khawaja didn’t get to make his double hundred

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Damn, upset that Khawaja didn’t get to make his double hundred

Mankading2.0

@Mankading2_0

Cummins declared the innings when Khawaja was at 195* 🤣🤣🤣

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Cummins declared the innings when Khawaja was at 195* 🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂😂

Vampytaher

@vampytaher

That's Unfair for him @Uz_Khawaja @CricketAus

That's Unfair for him @Uz_Khawaja @CricketAus

Muhammad UMAiR

@merry8989

@ShahwaizAsif786 @shkfan @SharyOfficial @itx_Ashy @HinaKhaliq2 @Hira85917045 @Aishhha12 @zoyachaudhary01 @MalikMumraiz512 @definitelydkhng Yr 100 ki pari hui aap logo ko?
Jb k home ground pr ye 3rd opposition team hai back to back dominate kr rhi. AUS, ENG, NZ sb ny match dia k ye lo jeeto.
Is pr koi tanqeed ni? Koi swal ni team se?
Ye dekho Khawaja k 200 ki prwah ni ki. Aor declare kr k match wining ki trf ja rhy.

@ShahwaizAsif786 @shkfan @SharyOfficial @itx_Ashy @HinaKhaliq2 @Hira85917045 @Aishhha12 @zoyachaudhary01 @MalikMumraiz512 @definitelydkhng Yr 100 ki pari hui aap logo ko?
Jb k home ground pr ye 3rd opposition team hai back to back dominate kr rhi. AUS, ENG, NZ sb ny match dia k ye lo jeeto.
Is pr koi tanqeed ni? Koi swal ni team se?
Ye dekho Khawaja k 200 ki prwah ni ki. Aor declare kr k match wining ki trf ja rhy. https://t.co/Aeq7K9AgjE

Arvind

@petrolheadremix

Pat Cummins declared innings when Usman Khawaja was on 195*, suddenly Dravid’s declaration seem sensible when Tendulkar was on 194*. #AusvSa

Pat Cummins declared innings when Usman Khawaja was on 195*, suddenly Dravid’s declaration seem sensible when Tendulkar was on 194*. #AusvSa

Dumb girl

@ChessyBinks

@RYANCRA54791917 @OfficialRhys @cricketcomau Cummins needed to let Khawaja have his moment

@RYANCRA54791917 @OfficialRhys @cricketcomau Cummins needed to let Khawaja have his moment

Obaid Rehman 🇵🇰🇸🇦

@obaidmw

Very weird declaration by @CricketAus Poor Usman Khawaja richly deserved double ton, who first denied by rain then the management itself..? #AUSvSA

Very weird declaration by @CricketAus Poor Usman Khawaja richly deserved double ton, who first denied by rain then the management itself..? #AUSvSA

Dumb girl

@ChessyBinks

@cricketcomau F Pat Cummins. Khawaja robbed

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@cricketcomau F Pat Cummins. Khawaja robbed 😡

Khawaja has been on a tremendous run since returning to the Test side in 2022. The southpaw has amassed 1275 runs at an average of 79.68 with five centuries and three of them came in a row at the SCG.

Australia pick three wickets before 20 overs

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Australia reduced the Proteas to 40 for 3 after 20 overs to put them under pressure straight away. Josh Hazlewood forced Dean Elgar to nick one behind the stumps with an angling short ball.

Nathan Lyon stunned Sarel Erwee with a slight off-breaker as the batter opted to leave the ball with his bat above his shoulders. Lyon's turn crashed into the left-hander's stumps. Skipper Cummins induced Heinrich Klassen's edge while he played it down the leg.

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