The Cricket World Cup was criticised by fans and pundits alike for its lack of captivating matches leading in to the last week. Aside from an incredible result in which the Netherlands (the lowest ranked side in the tournament) beat a cricketing powerhouse in South Africa, the first 24 matches failed to produce close games. In the last week, the tournament has exploded in to life with today's game between Australia and Afghanistan producing the most incredible solo innings in the history of the World Cup, courtesy of Australia's Glenn Maxwell.
Semi final at stake
Leading in to this game, Australia knew that a win would guarantee them a spot in the semi finals, alongside India and South Africa. While for Afghanistan, a win would put them in to the top four ahead of the 2015 and 2019 finalists, New Zealand, as well as their South Asian rivals, Pakistan.
Afghanistan have never made it to the knock out stages of the World Cup. Given the current format only sees four teams reach that stage, it would be an unprecedented achievement. This all for a team who were one of two teams, along with the Netherlands, who entered the World Cup by the qualifying tournament and only played their first full status international match in 2010, against Ireland.
Afghanistan's Superb Start
The Afghans chose to bat at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and their decision was vindicated. Opening batsman Ibrahim Zadran became the first Afghan to score a hundred in a World Cup with a sparkling effort as he led the way against a star-studded Australian bowling attack. Including the number 2 ranked bowler in the world Josh Hazlewood and the tournament's second leading wicket taker, Adam Zampa.
Video: Ibrahim Zadran scores Afghanistan's first century in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup history.
Zadran remained unbeaten and scored 129 runs off 143 balls against Australia today in Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India.
(Source: ICC)#TOLOnews pic.twitter.com/a1JN48ZTG2— TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) November 7, 2023
Zadran finished on 129 not out and Afghanistan had set Australia 292 to win from their 50 overs. If Australia were to chase down the total it would be a record chase for them at a men's World Cup.
Australia collapse but Afghanistan miss vital chances
Their reply could not have started worse for the Aussies with opener, Travis Head removed second ball and things only got worse. Glenn Maxwell missed Australia's previous game against England after falling out of a golf buggy and suffering a concussion. This was not taken well by the Australian public and former players, as former Test Captain, Tim Paine, made very clear;
“Don’t get on the back of a golf cart!” 🗣️
Former Australian Test captain Tim Paine reacted to Glenn Maxwell’s freak injury earlier in the week and looked at all the different layers of the situation. 🏏#CWC #CWC2023 #CricketWorldCup pic.twitter.com/UzbJmDCRUZ— SEN Tassie (@SENTassie) November 3, 2023
He walked out to bat at number six with his team 4 wickets down with just 49 runs on the board. In the early part of Maxwell's innings despite making quiet progress himself, chaos continued to ensue at the other end as Australia crumbled to a position where a win appeared nearly impossible at 91/7.
"That is a catch. THAT IS A CATCH!" 🤩
Stunning catch from wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil! pic.twitter.com/KrLeup6y0u— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) November 7, 2023
However, no one told Glenn Maxwell that. Requiring 201 runs to win with no other recognised batsman left except himself, he began to take the fight back to the Afghans. He was not without luck in his endeavours as on 24 and Australia 98/7, a chance went begging for Afghanistan as an ill timed stroke somehow fell in to space. Then, with Australia 112/7, Afghanistan's Mujeeb dropped one of the simplest catches you'll see in cricket.
@Mujeeb_R88 will be remembered for this for ages. A simple catch drop costed Afghanistan's victory over Australia by huge margin and thus gaining good NRR and chances to get into semis'. Felt sorry for @IZadran18
If that happened, #AjayJadeja afterparty pic would go viral. pic.twitter.com/ALaXcxS129— Vikas Patnaik (@Vikasdpatnaik) November 7, 2023
'The Fight is on'
From this point on, the Australian batter was determined to make the Afghans rue their missed opportunities. He began to produce some magnificent stroke play, punishing the ball to the fence on numerous occasions. While Australian captain Pat Cummins, stood at the far end simply ensuring that he would not be as easily dismissed as seven of his team mates had been.
A reminder that at 89/6 for the win predictor that runs throughout the match was giving Australia a 6% chance of victory, at 91/7 this dropped to 2%.
Maxwell showed his immense eye for a ball, playing some of his trade mark 'reverse hits', as well as hitting some enormous sixes in to the Mumbai crowd. After scoring 26 from his first 37 balls, he reached his 100 off 76 deliveries. Australian fans were perhaps just starting to believe but they were still miles away from being in real contention still requiring a further 106 off 106 balls. The man fondly nicknamed 'The Big Show' by adoring IPL fans continued his onslaught against the Afghan bowling attack.
Glenn Maxwell's 76-ball hundred 💯👏 pic.twitter.com/TbDW6CNv6y
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) November 7, 2023
Intense cramp halts the charge
Australia's talisman kept the foot on the throttle as the Afghan bowlers looked bereft of ideas. It was not the opposition but physical fitness which looked to be what would halt Maxwell. Temperatures in Mumbai were at around 30 degrees with 75-85% humidity for the duration of time he was at the crease and so naturally, vicious cramping began to become an issue. After going down on multiple occasions, Maxwell got to the point where he was no longer able to move his feet while batting. This would be utterly crippling for even the greatest of players, but he stood his ground and decided that fours or sixes were the only way he would be able to chase down the total.
Occasionally, in order to be facing the first ball of the next over Maxwell would attempt to hobble a run. With his team still 55 runs short of victory, he attempted a run and as he hopped and hobbled to safety, his entire body appeared to enter a state of cramp. For all those who have suffered bad cramp or back spasms before, you can probably feel this video:
Stand alone for home country 🇦🇺
Cramps,, down,, stand and go home with a fantastic win#Maxwell #maxwel #CWC2023 #Australia #AUSvsAFG #AFGvAUS pic.twitter.com/fw1OJbMHMJ— Mohammad Hafeez 🇵🇰 (@world_cup2023) November 8, 2023
After receiving treatment from the Australian physio for the fifth time during his innings, Maxwell continued to stand and deliver. No matter where they bowled to him, the Aussie would find a way of despatching it in to the crowd, including this ludicrous reverse sweep off an 81 mph delivery from Azmat.
43.3
6
Azmatullah to Maxwell, SIX 6⃣ 🎈 runs 🔰 pic.twitter.com/Gp8VdeKYgz— Tayyab 👑 محترم (@Tayyabm60999275) November 7, 2023
'The most remarkable thing you'll ever see in cricket'
As the required runs fell below 20, the bookies now had Australia as favourites. They hadn't been favoured since the dismissal of Mohammed Nabi, which had taken place around 3 hours before hand. With Afghanistan's final role of the dice they handed the ball to the man who had dropped Maxwell, when he was on just 34. Now, 150 runs later, the man hailing from Victoria intended to finish things in the same fashion as he had done throughout.
TRENDING
AFG Vs AUS highlights
' Glenn Maxwell On His Sensational World Cup Double Century 201/128/ball
AK TANG PAR MATCH KHATAM AAJ TAK KI SABSE KHATARNAK PARI @got @Gmaxi_32 pic.twitter.com/XrPFQ8foBY— SYED SHAFI (@SyedSha62042413) November 8, 2023
With 19 balls and 3 wickets to spare, he had done it. On one leg with his partner and captain, Pat Cummins, finished on 12 off 68 balls. Cummins was playing an emotional support role more than anything else. Legendary commentator Ian Smith sat alongside Australian World Cup winners Shane Watson and Ricky Ponting displayed total and utter disbelief as to what he had just seen, describing it as, "probably the most remarkable thing you'll ever see in cricket." As Maxwell deposited his final ball in to the stands to finish on 201 off 128 deliveries, including 21 fours and 10 sixes. As he stood taking in the moment, Smith said of Maxwell, "he should not have to walk off the field, he should be carried off!"
"ABSOLUTELY MIND BLOWING!" 😳
Glenn Maxwell with an UNBELIEVABLE innings to help Australia beat Afghanistan. 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/Fjj9BG1h6u— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) November 7, 2023
Australian cricket fans and media have reacted appropriately, as 'The Big Show's' innings has been forever immortalised in to cricketing folklore;
Glenn Maxwell limps his way to the greatest ODI innings you’ll likely ever see @weRcricket pic.twitter.com/laCr4mps0D
— The Grade Cricketer (@gradecricketer) November 8, 2023
With a chase to rival even the great Kevin O'Brien miracle in Bangalore in 2011, Australia now advance to a World Cup semi final against South Africa, a fixture teeming with history in World Cups. While Afghanistan fall back in the race for a semi final spot, with their destiny no longer in their hands due to their diabolical NRR (Net Run Rate) situation. Social media reflected how much the sporting community enjoyed Maxwell's utterly dismissive display;
Glenn Maxwell's golf cart pic.twitter.com/Si83S2Vjli
— Cameron Ponsonby (@cameronponsonby) November 7, 2023
The final round of group games will finish on the 12th of November with India v the Netherlands. With that, the semi finals will be locked in for the 15th and 16th, followed by the final in the 130,000 seat Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on the 19th.
