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Rashid Khan was the only Afghanistan bowler to escape the one-man wrecking crew that was Maxwell. Afghanistan had picked four spinners for this match, but Naveen and Omarzai inflicted severe damage on Australia’s chase.
They bowled Test-match lines and lengths and swung the new ball both ways, under lights. Naveen first ripped out Travis Head with an out swinger before pinning Mitchell Marsh lbw with an in swinger. Naveen could’ve also dismissed David Warner on 4 had Rahmat Shah not dropped a difficult chance at gully. Warner added 14 to his tally before Omarzai floored his off-stump with an inswinger.
Omarzai is only 23 and was playing his 20th ODI, but he’s so skillful that he can construct Warner’s dismissal. After hitting a hard length and bowling a maiden to Warner, he went fuller and stormed through his defenses. The next ball was an out swinger to Josh Inglis, who edged to first slip. The next ball was another outswinger, but Maxwell denied Omarzai the hat-trick, and the rest is now history.
Ibrahim Zadran became Afghanistan’s first-ever centurion in World Cups, and Naveen-ul-Haq and Azmatullah Omarzai shredded Australia’s top order as they threatened to script a famous win at the Wankhede.
He played this tip-off of a shot at 13.1 off Cummins, which was quite impressive, it felt like he was just solidifying his place and not going to get out anytime soon, he was playing sensible and clever cricket! The highlight of his innings was a ramped four straight over the wicketkeeper, off Cummins, in the 14th over.
He was the constant in the entire line up, he batted from the beginning till the end.
After finishing off three successful chases in a row. They were really into the game! It was all happening, all the stars and Shamans were speaking for these new superstars.
Batting:
Hashmatullah trusted his batters to put runs on the board on a slightly atypical Wankhede track on the drier side. Apart from the centurion, they were constantly making runs. They slowed down but never gave up, especially after Zadran’s 100 (129 off 143 balls) and Rashid’s cameo. There was a catch that Stoinis took, but it was a tad bit bouncing off the ground. He went on to mockingly hit a couple of Tennis shots in the slog overs and stayed unbeaten at 35! Ibrahim and Rashid smashed 58 together off just 27 balls to lift Afghanistan to 291, but their joy turned into disbelief and helplessness at night.
Bowling
Naveen took out Travis Head very early on, he was on fire, he almost got Warner, but Rahmat couldn’t hold on to it. Marsh and Warner were looking good, but then Naveens struck again and got Marsh out! Azmat then bowls over Warner in a somewhat silly caught behind, followed by Inglis playing a dumb shot that was caught behind at the slips. Stoinis always does something stupid, he tried a panicky stroke and just donates his wicket. Starc’s wicket I think just came off that momentum, where everything was working for them and they looked absolutely confident of it! It was clearly not out and I was yelling at the TV screen, WELL WHAT ARE YOU SAVING THE WICKET FOR STARKY! There was Noor’s LBW of Maxwell, he was walking away, but it was was missing the stumps by height. Then there was Mujeeb’s sitter, which I bet he won’t forget anytime soon.
By this time the entire team was fired up, they were getting a little bold, getting cocky, I saw Rashid sledging Warner his captain during the IPL! What the hell was happening? There was even a time when Marnus was batting and had complained about movement above the screen, which was coincidentally the Afghan dressing room, I didn’t understand that, who puts a dressing room right above the screens anyway after those complaints you saw Jadeja their batting consulting coach dancing and having fun, they were having fun, they could see the light at the end of the tunnel, they hadn’t completed even 20 overs and all these batters just crumbling. They had the semi-finals in their sight, it was a fantastic night, and
BOOM, They then ran into an unstoppable force – Patrick Cummins LOL, not really!
BOOM, They then ran into an unstoppable force – Patrick Cummins LOL, not really!
But his innings is the No. 2 on my ranking today!
Let’s back up and see what the hell happened to Aussie batting
Warner and Mitch started decent, but somehow they decided to just take a day off.
Marnus, during the entire tournament king played a test innings, but he was run out for 14. Maxi calls early, but Marnus takes his time and is gone! He had to heed to the batter, who’s generally the decision maker.
After the catch drop by Mujeeb, I was quite sure that they’d pop back, you generally lose that wicket soon! I mean, unless you are Kohli, I guess, and now you can add Maxi to the list.
Biggest 8th wicket partnership. But Maxwell intervened with a sensational 201 not out, 179 of which were scored in an unbroken 202-run partnership with his captain Pat Cummins, to flip the script. The result confirmed Australia’s place in the final four, along with hosts India and South Africa, and left Afghanistan heartbroken.
The game looked done when Marcus Stoinis and Mitchell Starc fell soon after, leaving Australia at 91 for 7. Except it wasn’t. Maxwell soldiered on, and Cummins stuck to him limpet-like, contributing just 12 runs (off 68 balls) to a double-century partnership.
At the other end, Cummins defended resolutely. That was all he needed to do.
Maxwell 201* brings home the Australian miracle and a place in the World Cup semi-final. No one made a double-hundred chasing before, He wasn’t that excited when he made that 100, he knew the job wasn’t done!
He was cramping up, at some point he was flapping on the ground like Tina from Bob’s Burgers. Seriously the cramps looked absolutely horrible, he was frozen on the ground.He couldn’t move, he was standing like a stick man without being able to move. They were 91 for 7! It’s a double ton, just 2 balls behind the fastest by Ishan.
Bowling is Afghan’s strength, and they did well by taking 7 wickets for just 91 runs. Can’t call that pedestrian; conditions did play a role. Marnus was the last batter with Maxi at 5-69, from then it was just Maxwell. There was extreme pressure on the Aussies, the Afghans were coming at them with some sledging, and aggressive bowling. He took them from 69/5 to 293/7 and contributed 201 runs while Cummins was just holding the fort from the other end. I would rate it over Kapil’s innings because this was a chase, and the Aussies were on the brink of humiliation.I don’t know what will if that’s not reason enough to be the best ODI innings of all. He lucked out twice and he ensured that he took full advantage.
Maxwell had walked in to face Omarzai’s hat-trick ball in the ninth over when Australia was 49 for 4 in pursuit of 292. He was then involved in a mix-up, which cost Australia the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne for 14. Maxi calls early, but Marnus takes his time and goes! He had to heed to the batter, who’s generally the decision maker.
Once in his first ball
Noor’s LBW for height
Mujeeb’s catch drop at point
In the 40th over, he just dropped to the floor and generally you see any player of the opposition running up and try straightening up his leg but the Afghans were panicking by this one-legged monster. They were devising many plans but none of them included bowling something wider around the off-side, well to be fair when they tried Maxwell does this (reverse sweep clip)
While the chase was getting tighter towards the end. Having fielded the 50 overs in the Mumbai heat, Maxwell began cramping up badly. It was his legs. They’d just stopped working. Adam Zampa was waiting and walkied back and forth from the dressing room.
With 21 needed off the final four overs for Australia’s win and Maxwell’s double-hundred, he went 6,6,4,6 against Mujeeb Ur Rahman to provide the double 100! What a crazy man, this is one of those insanely crazy human feat and it came around in the World Cup! Aren’t we all blessed to see something outstanding like this!
It’s the highest score ever by a batter at No. 6 or lower in 4696 ODIs. This is also the first double-hundred by an Australian in men’s ODI cricket and the third double-ton in men’s World Cups.
Maxwell’s unbroken 202-run stand with Cummins is also the highest for the eighth wicket or lower in ODI cricket.
Just look at the Win probability and how it just turned! That’s why you never get cocky, celebrate too early or even sledge too early, this game has proved this to us constantly.This is what I love about the Australian team, they fight, Remember Lyon in Ashes? or Alex Carey in 2019 WC (https://www.cricket.com.au/news/3252810)
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