Australian cricketer Travis Head created history by smashing a speedy century on the opening day of the Final of the ICC World Test Championship 2021-2023. The left-handed middle-order batter became the first cricketer to score a century in the ICC WTC Final.
Australia and India are playing the Final of the ICC World Test Championship 2021-2023 at The Oval. Both teams are eyeing to clinch their first WTC trophy.
After India sent the Aussies to bat first, Mohammed Siraj provided the early breakthrough for the Indian team by dismissing the opener Usman Khawaja (0). Though another opener David Warner (43) and the present no.1 Test batter Marnus Labuschagne (26) were dismissed after settling down, Travis Head and Steven Smith controlled the first innings with a big partnership.
Travis Head: 1st to score a century in ICC WTC Final; Steven Smith: 2nd to score a century in ICC WTC Final
Smith and Head had a 285-run partnership for the fourth wicket to put the Aussies into the driving seat in the Final. During that partnership, Head completed a 106-ball century. While it is the second Final in WTC history, it was the first century in the WTC Final history.
Later, on day 2, Smith also completed his century. The former Aussie captain took 229 balls to record this amazing century.
While Head scored 163 runs before getting out to Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur dismissed Smith for 121 runs.
Previous centuries during other Test Championship Finals
Meanwhile, Head and Smith became the fourth and fifth batters, respectively, to score a century in the Final of a Test Championship.
During the short era of the Asian Test Championship, Pakistan cricketers Ijaz Ahmed and Inzamam-ul-Haq, and Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara each slammed one double-century in the Final matches.
Centuries in the Test Championship Final
Player (Team) | Runs scored | Opposition | Venue | Competition |
Ijaz Ahmed (Pakistan) | 211 | Sri Lanka | Dhaka | Asian Test Championship 1998/1999 |
Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan) | 200* | Sri Lanka | Dhaka | Asian Test Championship 1998/1999 |
Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) | 230 | Pakistan | Lahore | Asian Test Championship 2001/2002 |
Travis Head (Australia) | 163 | India | The Oval | ICC World Test Championship 2021-2023 |
Steven Smith (Australia) | 121 | India | The Oval | ICC World Test Championship 2021-2023 |
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