Glenn Maxwell played an incredible innings during the World Cup, scoring an unbeaten double century as Australia defeated Afghanistan by three wickets in Mumbai, India. This remarkable win secured Australia’s spot in the World Cup semi-finals as they now sit third on the points table with 12 points and one more match to play.
Maxwell, often referred to as ‘Bigshow,’ remained unbeaten with 201 runs off 128 balls, hitting 21 fours and 10 sixes. He set a new record for the highest score while chasing in ODIs, surpassing Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman’s previous record of 193 against South Africa in Johannesburg.
In this historic innings, Maxwell showcased his extraordinary batting skills. His performance included:
- Highest scores while chasing in ODIs:
- 201* – Maxwell vs. Afghanistan, 2023 – Australia won
- 193 – Fakhar vs. South Africa, 2021 – Pakistan lost
- 185* – Watson vs. Bangladesh, 2011 – Australia won
- 183* – Dhoni vs. Sri Lanka, 2005 – India won
- 183 – Kohli vs. Pakistan, 2012 – India won
Ibrahim Zadran stood out for Afghanistan, becoming the first Afghan batter to score a century in World Cup history. While other Afghan batters struggled, Zadran played a crucial role by opening the innings and staying until the end. Rashid Khan also made a significant contribution with a rapid 35 runs off 18 deliveries in the final five overs.
However, the match was all about Glenn Maxwell, who displayed outstanding skills and took Australia to victory despite a challenging situation. Maxwell came to bat when Australia was at 49-4, and he was dropped by Afghanistan’s fielders twice during his innings.
Pat Cummins provided essential support to Maxwell with a composed 12 runs off 68 balls. Despite suffering from cramps, Maxwell continued to play exceptional shots even when he couldn’t run. His performance made history, as he became the first batter to score 200 runs in a chase in ODIs and the first player to score two centuries in a World Cup edition while batting at No. 5 or lower.
