Maxwell 201* Inning drags Australia to stunning win over Afghanistan in World Cup 2023

Maxwell 201* super inning produces an all-time great innings to help Australia beat Afghanistan in Mumbai Wankhede Stadium. Australia has secured a spot in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 semifinals, thanks to an incredible performance by Glenn Maxwell.

Despite facing physical discomfort, Maxwell scored 201 runs, leading his team to a remarkable victory over Afghanistan at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.

It was a historic match in Mumbai with a remarkable run-chase. Australia faced a tough situation at 91-7 after Afghanistan batted first and scored 291-5.

Never seen anything like this

The former New Zealand cricketer Ian Smith exclaimed, ‘The most incredible sight in cricket!’ as Maxwell smashed a six to secure Australia’s victory and his own 200 runs.

Ricky Ponting, the former Australia captain with three World Cup titles, marveled at Maxwell’s performance, noting he played despite an injury. Ponting expressed, ‘I’ve played and watched a lot of cricket, but this is truly extraordinary. A moment you won’t witness again in international cricket.’

Maxwell came to bat when Australia was struggling at 49 runs for four wickets and lost three more wickets for 41 runs in the next 10 overs. Afghan pacers Naveen-ul-Haq and Azmatullah Omarzai made an early impact, taking two wickets each. Star leg-spinner Rashid Khan contributed with two wickets as well.

However, the 35-year-old Maxwell led a remarkable 202-run partnership with captain Pat Cummins, guiding their team to victory with numerous fours and sixes. Maxwell hit 21 fours and 10 sixes in his innings, while Cummins scored 12 runs from 68 balls in the partnership.

Also Read: Glenn Maxwell Biography

Maxwell didn’t stop

Earlier, Ibrahim Zadran made history by becoming the first Afghanistan player to score a century in a Cricket World Cup match, contributing 129 runs from 143 balls, including eight fours and three sixes. Rashid, also showcasing his skills, added a quick 35 runs to Afghanistan’s total.

Despite facing cramps and a backache, Maxwell kept hitting boundaries, stunning Afghanistan. Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi admitted the dropped catches cost them dearly, praising Maxwell’s performance. He expressed disappointment over letting the game slip away but acknowledged it as part of the game of cricket.