Wankhede Stadium, Mumba – In a thrilling World Cup match, Glenn Maxwell displayed extraordinary resilience and power, fighting through cramps to play an unbeaten innings of 201 off 128 balls. His incredible performance single-handedly led Australia to a remarkable three-wicket victory over Afghanistan. This win not only sealed Australia’s spot in the World Cup semifinals but also kept Pakistan’s hopes of qualifying alive.
Maxwell’s Incredible Counter-Attack:
Facing a challenging target of 292, Australia found themselves in a precarious position, with a score of 91 for seven wickets. It appeared that Afghanistan was on the verge of a historic triumph. However, Maxwell’s astonishing counter-attack left both the Afghans and spectators in disbelief. Alongside captain Pat Cummins, Maxwell successfully guided Australia past Afghanistan’s total of 291 for five wickets, achieving victory with 19 balls to spare.
Battling Cramps and Discomfort:
Despite enduring cramps, Maxwell displayed immense determination after reaching his fourth century in the 50-over format. He minimized running between the wickets to manage the pain and relied on powerful shots to score. In his magnificent innings, Maxwell struck 21 fours and 10 sixes, with many of his boundaries coming off one leg. The final six not only secured victory for Australia but also brought up his double century.
Captain Cummins, who remained unbeaten with 12 runs from 68 balls, played a crucial role in the unbroken eighth-wicket partnership, contributing 202 runs to the match-winning stand.
Afghanistan’s Unsuccessful Efforts:
Despite numerous on-field discussions and strategizing, Afghanistan struggled to dislodge Maxwell. He was given a lifeline when he was dropped on 33 by Mujeebur Rahman off Noor Ahmad’s bowling. Furthermore, Maxwell survived a leg-before-wicket appeal, successfully overturning the umpire’s decision.
Early Setbacks and Remarkable Recovery:
Australia faced early setbacks, with seamers Naveenul Haq and Azmatullah Omarzai reducing them to 49-4. Notably, Australia had to contend with the absence of Steve Smith due to a bout of vertigo, which raised doubts about their batting depth. Rashid Khan’s quick strikes further tilted the match in Afghanistan’s favor.
Ibrahim Zadran’s Maiden Century: Opening batsman Ibrahim Zadran’s maiden World Cup hundred was a key factor in Afghanistan’s competitive total. His remarkable innings of 129 not out came from 143 balls and included eight fours and three sixes.
Rashid Khan’s Late Flourish: All-rounder Rashid Khan contributed a quick 35 not out off 18 balls, featuring three sixes and two fours, to boost Afghanistan’s run tally in the latter part of their innings.
This extraordinary contest has solidified Australia’s position as the third team to secure a spot in the World Cup semifinals, joining India and South Africa.
