LONDON: Cheteshwar Pujara of India achieved his second double century in three matches on Saturday, sharing a century partnership with Mohammad Rizwan of English county Sussex.
Pujara scored 203, his third century in three matches for Sussex, while wicketkeeper Rizwan scored 79 in his home debut for the south coast side.
In the Second Division of English cricket’s red-ball County Championship, Sussex racked up an impressive 538 in response to Durham’s first innings 223 at Hove.
Durham, on the other hand, concluded the third day of four with hopes of securing a draw at 169 for none in their second innings.
The fact that Pujara and Rizwan are both playing for Sussex is a unique instance of Indian and Pakistani cricketers playing for the same team.
After the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which officials blamed on Pakistan, India severed bilateral cricket relations with Pakistan, and the teams now only face each other in multi-nation competitions.
The South Asian rivals have not played a bilateral series since Pakistan visited India in 2012-13 for a series of one-day internationals and Twenty20 matches amid a brief thaw in tensions.
Pakistan’s stars also do not compete in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the world’s most prestigious T20 tournament, which is now taking place in India.
Uncapped Hampshire batsman Nick Gubbins scored his second century of the match against a Lancashire attack led by James Anderson in the First Division.
Despite the fact that Anderson, England’s all-time greatest Test wicket-taker, was bowling for Lancashire, the left-hander followed up his 101 not out in the first innings with 130 to leave Hampshire well-placed at the Ageas Bowl.
Hampshire were finally removed for 344 and Lancashire were nine for none at stumps, chasing a 351-run winning goal.
Gubbins, 28, established a reputation for himself with 1,409 runs, including four hundreds, when Middlesex won the First Division title in 2016, only to have his runs dry up the following season.
However, a transfer south to Hampshire last year looks to have reinvigorated Gubbins, and he is providing the remainder of his skill to an England team now led by managing director Rob Key and new Test captain Ben Stokes.