PAK v AUS 2018: All credit goes to Usman Khawaja, says Sarfraz Ahmed after Dubai draw

Sarfraz praises Usman Khawaja, saying he really was a lone warrior from Australia in Dubai.

Sarfraz Ahmed impressed the way Usman played on the final day in Dubai | Getty Images

Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed lavished praise on Usman Khawaja after his heroics with the bat on the final day of the first Test saved the match for Australia in Dubai on Thursday (October 11).

At the Dubai International Stadium, Pakistan were looking at the stage to register a massive win over the young Australian side, but it was Khawaja’s gritty knock of 141 off 302 balls and defiant innings from Travis Head (72) and Tim Paine (61*), which helped the Kangaroos escape defeat and draw the match with two wickets remaining.

Sarfraz credited Khawaja, who smacked his first hundred in Asia and played the longest innings effort in terms of minutes by any Australian ever, that Australia managed to draw against his team here.

He told reporters at the press conference, “Credit goes to Usman Khawaja. He really was a lone warrior and it's because of him that this match was drawn. The way he batted, all credit goes to him.”

Sarfraz signed off by saying, “On the fifth day, it's not easy to bat on this kind of pitches. With all the rough patches it was very difficult to bat. Tim Paine deserves a lot of credit as well. I'm very disappointed with the result but today cricket is the winner.”

Pakistan will now face Australia in the second and final Test in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday (October 16).
(Input: International Cricket Council)

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 12 Oct, 2018

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