AUS v AFG, World Cup 2023: Glenn Maxwell rides luck to hit counter-attacking hundred under pressure in Mumbai

Glenn Maxwell played a lone warrior’s role in one of his sensational World Cup knocks as he single-handedly kept Australia alive in their chase of 292 against Afghanistan at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Maxwell took the fearless route as he counter attacked the Afghanistan bowling attack after Australia were reduced to 91 for 7 on Tuesday, November 5.

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Glenn Maxwell walked up to the middle, facing up a hat-trick ball after Australia lost David Warner and Josh Inglis in successive deliveries in the 9th over. He nearly became Azmatullah Omarzai’s 3rd victim as he survived by the barest of margins.

Glenn Maxwell was also dropped on 33 by Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who spilled one of the easiest chances at short fine leg. However, Maxwell did not let that affect his rhythm.

He saw the likes of Marcus Stoinis throw his wicket away and Marnus Labuschagne get run out while falling short of the crease as Australia slipped to 91 for 7 in the 19th over.

It looked like Australia’s chase was done and dusted at the 20-over mark as the Afghanistan bowlers were high on adrenaline, but the fielding errors gave Maxwell the extra life which he gladly accepted.

Maxwell went after the Afghanistan spinners, bringing out his wide array of shots in a sensational display of big-hitting that silenced the Wankhede crowd which was majorly rooting for the underdogs. However, when Maxwell got to his hundred in the 33rd over, the fans at the stands and the Australian players in the dressing room stood up to applaud the sensational knock.

Maxwell got to his hundred in just 76 balls in a 100-plus stand with captain Pat Cummins, who was happy to block, block and block. When their 8th wicket partnership went past 100, Cummins had only chipped in with 8 runs.

Maxwell sucked the belief out of the Afghanistan bowlers as he kept going on with his big-hitting charge, putting the pressure right back on Hashmatullah Shahidi and his men.

It was Maxwell’s 3rd World Cup hundred and 2nd in the ongoing edition. Maxwell had hit the fastest World Cup hundred in just 40 balls when he took down the Netherlands in Delhi.

MAXWELL’S WORLD CUP HUNDREDS

76-ball century vs Afghanistan in Mumbai in 2023

44-ball 106 vs Netherlands in Delhi in 2023

53-ball 102 vs Sri Lanka in Sydney in 2015

Earlier in the day, a well-paced 129 not out from Ibrahim Zadran and a rapid 35 from Rashid Khan helped Afghanistan post 291 in their quota of 50 overs.