Usman Khan has created history by becoming the first batter to score two centuries in a single season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
The 28-year-old UAE-based batter has lit up PSL 2024, scoring his second consecutive ton in the tournament today (March 10). Batting first for Multan Sultans, Usman remained unbeaten on 100 off 50 balls against Islamabad United, in a knock that included a whopping 15 fours and three sixes.
Usman scored a century the last time he batted as well, making 106 not out against Karachi Kings. And in the match before that, against Lahore Qalandars, he made 96 opening the batting, taking his tally in the last three games to 305 with just one dismissal.
302 runs off 164 balls from three innings, striking at 184.15 😮
Usman Khan is enjoying a stunning run of form for Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League 💪#PSL2024 pic.twitter.com/V0Xbkh4dmi
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) March 10, 2024
Last year, when he announced himself at the big stage in the PSL with a 36-ball ton against Quetta Gladiators, Usman said that his dream was to play for UAE and not for Pakistan. Whether that has changed or not remains to be seen, but for now, he is on one of the hottest streaks of run-scoring in T20 history.
Records galore for Usman Khan
With his century today, he has also become just the second batter in PSL history to score three hundreds. The only other player to do so is Kamran Akmal.
Usman’s knock included 15 fours today, which is the joint second-highest number of fours hit by a batter in a PSL innings. Babar Azam hit 15 fours during his century against Quetta Gladiators last year, while Jason Roy holds the top-spot with 20 fours during his century against Peshawar Zalmi in PSL 2023.
Having played just four games, Usman has already climbed to third on the list of highest run-scorers this season in the PSL. Babar tops the list with 447 runs from eight innings, Rassie van der Dussen is second with 364 from seven knocks, while Usman sits third with 316 from just four outings. His average of 158 is unmatched and so is his strike rate of 184 by anyone who has scored more than 100 runs this season.
Usman’s career T20 numbers read 1093 runs at 37.68 with a strike rate of 148.70. 633 of those runs have come in the PSL, where his strike rate jumps to 167.46. No one in the history of the PSL has scored more runs than him at a better strike rate.
Ian Bishop lavished praise on the him, calling him “a beast of a player”, while Bazid Khan posted on social media that Usman should be “persuaded to stay and play here”.
Usman Khan is a beast of a player in serious batting form. 96(55)-106(59)-100*(50). His range of strokes is comprehensive. I wonder where his destiny will take him to international cricket? #HBLPSL
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) March 10, 2024
Usman Khan needs to be persuaded to stay and play here
— Bazid Khan (@bazidkhan81) March 10, 2024
The moment when Usman Khan brought up his third PSL hundred:
TAKE A BOW! 🙇
Simply the best, Usman Khan brings up his third HBL PSL 100! 🎉🎉#HBLPSL9 | #KhulKeKhel | #IUvMS pic.twitter.com/whoKXFYnht
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 10, 2024
Subscribe to the Wisden Cricket YouTube channel for post-match analysis, player interviews, and much more.
