Australia star batters Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith's centuries helped the visitors to score 330 runs during day 1 of the first Test match against Sri Lanka at Galle International Stadium in Galle. Stand-in captain Steve Smith completed his 10,000th Test runs before reaching the 100-run mark and on the other hand, Usman Khawaja smashed his maiden ton on Sri Lankan soil. Australia finished the opening day of the series in a dominant position at 330 for 2 with rain-ending play after 81.1 overs.
Khawaja and Smith put an unbeaten stand of 195 runs to capitalise on the batting-friendly conditions in the perfect start for an Australian side striving for a first series victory in Sri Lanka since 2011. Smith was in great form he smashed his half-century in just 57 balls before showing patience in the final session as Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya resorted to a defensive leg stump line. As the conditions got gloomy Smith regained his momentum to notch his 35th Test century.
Apart from Smith, Khawaja who was seen struggling against India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 has also got his mojo back with bat smashing 16th Test ton at Galle.
It has been a bad start for hosts Sri Lanka as they failed to get breakthroughs on day 1 of the first Test. They were also sloppy in the field and tardy with their reviews. They were left to rue numerous chances to dismiss Khawaja, including two dropped catches off the bowling of an increasingly flustered Jayasuriya, who destroyed Australia at the venue with a 12-wicket haul in his Test debut in 2022.
Khawaja was lucky on 74 when he edged Jayasuriya through to wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis, but Sri Lanka did not review the not-out decision.