Severely cramping , Glenn Maxwell played one of the greatest one-day innings, hitting a 128-ball 201 not out to help Australia secure semi-final spot
Mumbai, Nov 7: A hobbled Glenn Maxwell scored Australia’s first ever double century to pull off one of cricket’s all-time greatest comebacks
Glenn Maxwell defied intense pain to play one of the greatest innings in cricket history and pull off the mother of all heists in a World Cup epic against Afghanistan in Mumbai.
A cramping Maxwell (201no from 128 balls) could hardly walk, let alone run, through the back half of a 202-run partnership with captain Pat Cummins – the biggest for the eighth wicket in ODI history – as the Aussies rose from the dead to seal a semi-final berth.
Maxwell hit his ninth and tenth sixes to bring up the first ODI double century ever by an Australian and seal a victory that, less than three hours earlier, various win-predictor calculators suggested was a less-than-one-percent chance of happening.Chasing 292 for victory after Ibrahim Zadran (129no from 143) posted his country’s first ever World Cup century, the Aussies initially capitulated as the fired-up Afghan attack reduced them to 7-91 with all their recognised batters – bar Maxwell – back in the sheds.
Maxwell hardly celebrated what appeared to be a consolation hundred, off just 76 balls, before a series of cramps kicked in.
The 35-year-old, playing in his first game back after suffering a concussion last week, required medical treatment at the end of most overs after reaching triple figures.At the end of one, he collapsed on the ground and looked like he would not be able to continue. The next man in, Adam Zampa, was on the edge of the outfield, waited to come onto the ground.Maxwell simply stood and delivered, getting his side home with 19 balls and three wickets to spare. Cummins finished not out on 12 off 68 balls. Afghanistan were left to rue dropping Maxwell twice, on 24 and 33, as well as a lbw review not going their way. Those three chances came within the space of 12 balls.
The ramifications for the rest of the competition are significant. The result sealed Australia’s top-four position, leaving New Zealand and Pakistan as the main contender for the last finals spot.Afghanistan now face an uphill battle to make the semi finals of the tournament for the first time. (Agencies)