Usman Khawaja suffers injury setback

Usman Khawaja will have the injury scanned on Sunday. (Source: Reuters)

Usman Khawaja’s rollercoaster ride in international cricket continued when he strained a hamstring on the second day of the second Test against New Zealand at the WACA on Saturday.

The 28-year-old, the first Muslim to play Test cricket for Australia, was enjoying the best series of his burgeoning career against the Kiwis prior to the injury.

However, early in the New Zealand first innings he chased a ball to the boundary and pulled up sore.

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He clutched at his left hamstring immediately and cut a disconsolate figure as he limped from one side of the field to the other and up the race, replaced by a local substitute fielder.

Khawaja will have the injury scanned on Sunday, but his immediate playing future is in doubt, with the third Test against New Zealand, a historic day-night clash in Adelaide, starting on November 27.

The left-hander was recalled to the Australian side for the first Test against New Zealand at the Gabba, having missed most of the last Australian season with a serious knee injury.

He’s also had a history of hamstring problems. Having previously played just nine Tests since debuting against England in Sydney in 2011, he notched his maiden Test century in Brisbane, making 174 batting at number three.

Khawaja followed up with 121 in the Australian first innings in Perth and finally looked to be cementing his spot on the Australian side.