OTD: Maxwell Smoked Afghanistan With A Double Century At CWC23
It was 07th November, 2023. The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai was bathed in sunshine as Australia took on Afghanistan in a must win CWC23 encounter. However darkness loomed over the Australian Cricket Team, until Glenn Maxwell arrived at the crease. Here’s What Had Happened Australia’s dream of reaching the semifinals of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 had begun to slip through their fingers in dramatic fashion as Afghanistan, riding on impressive victories against England and Pakistan, were living out their dream. Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran played an anchor role by crafting a sublime 129* off 143 balls in the first innings of the game. Afghanistan was 291/5, a score that looked far too big for the Aussies coming into the match, considering how their top order has generally collapsed all tournament long. Second Innings Then came the Afghans’ bowling. Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq and Azmatullah Omarzai completely crippled the Australian batting line-up. By the 22nd over, Australia was faltering at 91/7 and the Australian Cricket Team looked dead in the water. No way back, this was one such collapse that made you feel. However as all of us witnessed, this game was going to take a turn no one could have predicted. Glenn Maxwell: The Lone Warrior Stood Tall In came Glenn Maxwell, Australia’s free-spirited all-rounder, with the dice turned over against him. Australia was seven wickets down and barely above 90 runs. Afghanistan could think of little reason they weren’t going to pull off a sensational win. Yet Maxwell was no ordinary batter. The moment was too big. The challenge was too great. And Maxwell – ever the maverick – relished it. Maxwell’s innings began nervously, with a few dropped catches and a couple of rusty shots, however something was brewing beneath the surface. Before it all boiled over, Maxwell took control, started hitting boundaries like it was bread buttered on the other side. Hang on, there was more to this story than a mere brutal counterattack-something more. Maxwell batted through the pain. Cramping severely, unable to move easily, he could only laboriously reach a quick single for whatever runs came his way. Still, his bat was swinging like a man on a mission. Maxwell’s Assault Maxwell started rather meekly on 22 off 26 balls. Once he got going, though, it was a storm in a teacup. In the next 102 balls, he would amass an astonishing 179 runs-hit 21 boundaries and 10 sixes, each strike a cry of defiance. Every stroke made it seem impossible suddenly possible. The scoreboard changed very quickly, so did the sense of disbelief in the stands. More than just a stellar score, Maxwell’s innings of 201 not out off just 128 balls sent a statement down the corridor of cricketing history. Maxwell became the first cricketer to hit a double-century while chasing in an ODI and the first Australian to do so in a World Cup. Impossible to chase was made suddenly possible and the Australian fans’ jaws dropped in disbelieving awe as they witnessed it. A Contest Of The Body By the 41st over, Maxwell’s runs were accumulating. He was visibly laboring, not really being able to move his legs without seizing. At one stage he collapsed on the floor in agony, his body playing him up at a time when he could least afford it. However, with such a determination in his eyes he would not leave the field. A brief field treatment enabled him to play on, however the spasms left him hardly able to change positions. Still, he pounded away—every boundary, every six a work of sheer will. What was remarkable, though, was how Maxwell scored 54 of his remaining 60 runs without shifting his feet—using sharp hand-eye coordination to dispatch the ball over the boundary. His power hitting turned out to be a demonstration of superhuman mental strength. Australia, which was all but finished and out of the match, was now thrusting ahead to victory, all due to Maxwell’s raw audacity and intestinal fortitude. Maxwell And Cummins Stand At Glory’s Gate With Maxwell, the Australian skipper, Pat Cummins, calm under pressure, hung on for life itself, playing a crucial, if understated, role in what will eventually emerge as the highest eighth-wicket partnership in ODI history. Cummins’ 12* off 68 balls look pretty inconsequential on paper, however his resilience helped get Maxwell across the line to hold up the Afghan bowlers long enough for the Big Show to finish what he started. Their 202-run stand was an improbable partnership, especially given the catastrophic start Australia had had. Together, Maxwell and Cummins orchestrated one of the most thrilling comebacks in World Cup history. With just five balls remaining, Maxwell cleared the rope one final time and took Australia home in a chase that seemed beyond impossible. Afghanistan’s Ultimate Near Miss Effort Indeed, it is very nearly a near miss and as exciting as it gets could be heart-breaking for Afghanistan. Their effort, although not as spectacular as Maxwell, stands applause of its own. The composed 129* from Zadran anchored the innings, while the bowlers did their best to spoil the Australian’s chase. Rashid Khan remained threatening throughout and Naveen-ul-Haq and Azmatullah Omarzai produced crucial breakthroughs, however they could just not stop Maxwell from winning this one for Australia. Maxwell’s Legacy For The Ages Maxwell’s double century will forever be written in cricket history as one of the greatest individual performances to be seen. Not only a knock of power and panache, but also of grit, determination and mental strength. Maxwell did not just win Australia the match, he changed the course of the tournament, producing a chase that will be spoken about for decades on end. In the aftermath of victory, when Maxwell lay exhausted on the pitch with minimal ability to move about, every single player in the Australian team gathered around him acknowledging the magnitude of his achievement. Maxwell, drenched in that sweaty Australian shirt, slowly walked up the stairs of the Wankhede dressing room. Australia, more
