- Maxwell’s record-breaking innings
- Afghanistan posts competitive total
- Late drama in Afghanistan’s innings
Australia secured a thrilling three-wicket victory against Afghanistan in Mumbai, largely thanks to Glenn Maxwell’s extraordinary one-day innings that rescued the team from what had appeared to be certain defeat and solidified their win.
The Turning Point
As soon as Mitchell Starc was dismissed with Australia trailing by 91 runs and seven wickets in pursuit of a highly competitive target of 292, their prospects looked dim. However, Maxwell, with some assistance from a dropped catch and sloppy fielding, went on a rampage, scoring an unbeaten 201 from 128 balls on his return from a strange golfing accident that had left him concussed last week. Among his remarkable innings were ten sixes.
Cummins and Maxwell’s Partnership
His captain, Pat Cummins, provided valuable support, and together they shared an unbeaten eighth-wicket partnership worth 202 runs. In the next week, they would face South Africa in the semi-finals.
While Maxwell survived a straightforward dropped catch and successfully challenged an umpire’s LBW decision in the 22nd over, he seemed to use those near misses as an opportunity to throw caution to the wind.
“I was extremely fortunate and, I suppose, just made the most of it,” he explained. “[The LBW review] was likely the impetus I needed to tell myself, ‘I need to be a bit more proactive and start playing some shots.'”
Maxwell’s Milestones
After reaching his second century of the tournament in the 33rd over, Maxwell encountered a back issue that notably hindered his running capabilities. However, the Afghan attack, which had dismissed each specialist batsman for less than 25 runs, couldn’t respond as “The Big Show” delivered exactly what he had promised – at least on one leg.
“Your path to wealth begins here – don’t wait, get your free Webull shares.”
Maxwell’s eighth six in the 47th over surpassed Shane Watson’s unbeaten 184 from 2011 as the all-time leading individual one-day international innings by an Australian.
Maxwell’s Match-Winning Finish
Maxwell, who had previously scored the fastest century of the World Cup – off 40 deliveries – against the Netherlands earlier in the tournament, secured the most improbable of victories with 19 balls remaining by smashing his tenth six over deep midwicket.
Maxwell declared following his heroic innings, “I feel shocked! Clearly, it was quite warm when I was fielding, and although I haven’t typically performed much high-intensity fielding in extreme temperatures, it finally affected me today. Fortunately, I managed to persevere until the very end.”
Afghanistan’s Competitive Total
Australia was facing a formidable challenge in securing a semi-final position following Afghanistan’s 291 for five, aided by Ibrahim Zadran’s unbeaten century. Although a spot in the elimination round had been expected since the tournament’s midpoint, Australia had the opportunity to secure it and cap off their incredible comeback. However, Afghanistan’s highest-scoring effort of the tournament (129 off 143 balls) came from a late partnership between Rashid Khan (35 off 18 balls) and Zadran (129 off 143 balls) that propelled the team to a formidable position.
Australia lost the toss on Tuesday (AEDT) and struggled to take wickets on a pitch that had been unforgiving to bowlers throughout the tournament. Maxwell secured a crucial wicket by dismissing Rahmat Shah during a strong spell.
Afghanistan’s Timid Approach
Spinner Adam Zampa (one for 58) couldn’t replicate the deception that had been crucial to Australia’s five-game winning streak in the middle overs. However, the overachievers of the World Cup, Afghanistan, were initially hesitant to attack the game to preserve their own semi-final prospects.
Except for a brief cameo by Azmatullah Omarzai (22 runs off 18 deliveries), the Afghanistan innings remained conservative until the final over, thanks to the foundation set by Zadran. In the 44th over, the twenty-one-year-old achieved a World Cup century by squeezing a single past Josh Hazlewood for cover. Although on the brink of dismissal, he secured the century.
Rashid and Zadran’s Late Surge
After scoring a century, Zadran significantly elevated the situation with the assistance of Rashid in a 58-run partnership that spanned the last four and a half overs. In the final four overs, the duo combined for eight boundaries, and Australia lamented an umpire review in which it was determined that Marcus Stoinis had failed to catch Rashid in the deep on 18 as he had desired. Stoinis believed he had dismissed Rashid with an outstanding catch, but the TV umpire disagreed.
After recovering from a contusion he suffered when knocked off a golf cart, Maxwell delivered a crucial part-time spin (one for 55) that dismissed Shah and Zadran, who had accumulated 83 runs. Afghanistan scored a mere three boundaries in the 12 overs that followed that dismissal, with two of those occurring within the same Zampa over. Despite holding seven wickets in hand, their run rate dipped below five as they entered the final ten overs; furthermore, they failed to score a six until the 38th over.
The timid approach appeared destined to return to haunt Afghanistan in the 38th over when Mitchell Starc (1-70) dismissed captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, severing his steady partnership with Zadran.
Late Drama in the Afghanistan Innings
Omarzai (22 runs off 18 balls) struck the first two sixes of the afternoon, threatening to accelerate the innings. But was caught in the deep at long off to give Zampa his first scalp. In contrast, Rashid and Zadran continued the work begun by Omarzai.
Australia defeats England to eliminate Cricket World Cup holders.
