Glenn Maxwell hit an epic double century on Tuesday as Australia defeated Afghanistan in an ICC Men’s World Cup ODI round match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
An unbeaten 201 off 128 saw Maxwell pull Australia out of a fix after being reduced to 91/7 and record the third highest individual score in the men’s ICC ODI World Cup. Maxwell’s innings was also the highest individual chase score in men’s ODIs.
At one point in the match, it looked like Australia would be Afghanistan’s latest victim at the edition, along with defending champions England, 1992 winners Pakistan and 1996 winners Sri Lanka.
But Maxwell, who finished on 33, responded in style, going hammer and tongs to end the match with his tenth six as he became only the third batsman to score a World Cup double hundred.
The win saw Australia join India and South Africa in the semi-finals.
“It would be nice if it was a no-brainer, I lived a very charmed life there,” said Maxwell, who is aptly nicknamed “The Big Show”.
He made Afghanistan pay with a stunning innings of 128 with 21 fours and 10 sixes as he became only the third batsman after New Zealand’s Martin Guptill and West Indies’ Chris Gayle to reach two World Cup centuries.
Maxwell ended the match in style with almost three overs to spare as he bowled Mujeeb for another six.
The 35-year-old’s highest one-day international score was only his fourth century in 136 matches at this level, but his second of the tournament after he scored the fastest hundred in men’s World Cup history against the Netherlands, off just 40 balls.
Australia captain Pat Cummins was not out for 12 but played his part by holding firm in an unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 202.
Later, there was another twist in the dramatic encounter when Maxwell, on 146, suffered a violent seizure while digging for a single.
But after receiving treatment on the field, a still struggling Maxwell continued to crush the Afghan attack with a dazzling array of shots.
Australia’s 43-2 then turned into 49-4 when Omarzai struck with successive deliveries, clean-bowling veteran David Warner after a nasty left-hander over the line before Josh Inglis slipped at first.
Maxwell survived a hat-trick when he got just past goalkeeper Ikram Alikhil.
Australia were 69-5 when, after laughing with Maxwell, Marnus Labuschagne raced through Rahmat Shah’s direct hit at mid-wicket before Rashid Khan removed Marcus Stoinis and Mitchell Starc as the crowd roared on Afghanistan.
But then came Maxwell’s big reprieve with Australia 112/7.
“Really disappointed. Cricket is a fun game, it was unbelievable,” said Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi.
