Australia's Khawaja scores 100 in birth country Pakistan

Karachi, 12 March  - Australian opener Usman Khawaja finally reached a hundred in the country of his birth Pakistan on the opening day of the second Test in Karachi on Saturday.

The 35-year-old pushed spinner Sajid Khan for a sharp single towards square leg, punching the air to celebrate his tenth Test hundred, his second against Pakistan.

A good 10,000 weekend crowd at the National Stadium applauded Khawaja on his feat.

It took Khawaja 273 minutes and 192 balls to reach the three-figure mark, spiced with 12 boundaries and a six.

Then Australia, who batted after winning the toss, were 198-2. Khawaja missed a hundred by just three runs in the drawn first Test in Rawalpindi.

"It's disappointing," Khawaja said afterwards. "It's a bizarre feeling. Yeah, I would love to get a hundred out here. Rawalpindi, Islamabad - where I grew up."

Australia are on their first tour of Pakistan since 1998, having refused to tour previously on security fears. The third and final Test is in Lahore from March 21-25.