Maxwell's Heroics Lead Australia to Victory

Glenn Maxwell's extraordinary 201 not out in just 128 balls turned the tide for Australia, rescuing them from the brink of defeat against Afghanistan. His stunning performance secured a thrilling three-wicket victory in Mumbai.

Australia witnessed a stunning turnaround in their match against Afghanistan, as Glenn Maxwell's breathtaking 201 not out from just 128 balls led the team to a dramatic three-wicket victory in Mumbai. When Australia found themselves at 91 for seven, chasing a formidable target of 292, their prospects looked grim. However, Maxwell, with the support of his captain Pat Cummins, crafted an unbeaten eighth-wicket partnership worth 202. The thrilling victory earned them a spot in the semi-finals against South Africa.

Maxwell's remarkable innings, which included 10 sixes, was pivotal in Australia's revival. He survived a dropped catch and successfully appealed against an lbw decision in the 22nd over, which seemed to ignite his aggression. His second century of the tournament in the 33rd over was followed by a battle with a back problem, but he continued to dominate the Afghan bowlers.

In the 47th over, Maxwell surpassed Shane Watson's unbeaten 184 in 2011, establishing the best individual one-day international innings by an Australian man. With his 10th six over deep midwicket, Maxwell secured the improbable win with 19 balls to spare. Despite his exhaustion, he persevered to complete the remarkable feat.

Australia's challenging situation had been set up by Ibrahim Zadran, who scored an unbeaten century for Afghanistan, leading them to a total of 291 for five. Afghanistan's significant total posed a formidable challenge to Australia.

Australia struggled to find wickets on a pitch that favored batsmen, but Maxwell's crucial dismissal of Rahmat Shah was a turning point. The Afghan innings remained cautious until the latter stages, with Zadran partnering with Rashid Khan for a late surge. Zadran's century made him the first Afghan to achieve a World Cup century.

In the final four and a half overs, Zadran and Rashid's partnership brought an influx of boundaries. However, a contentious umpire review spared Rashid when Marcus Stoinis believed he had caught him in the deep. After suffering a concussion while falling off a golf cart, Maxwell's part-time spin played a vital role in dismissing Shah.

While Afghanistan's run rate remained below five for the majority of their innings, Mitchell Starc's dismissal of captain Hashmatullah Shahidi marked a critical moment in the match. Although Azmatullah Omarzai briefly accelerated the scoring, he was eventually caught in the deep.

Rashid and Zadran maintained the pressure, but despite their efforts, Maxwell's extraordinary innings ultimately sealed Australia's victory. His heroic performance will be remembered as one of the most remarkable one-day innings in cricket history, rescuing Australia from a dire situation and propelling them to the semi-finals of the tournament.

Australia faced certain defeat at 91 for seven while chasing Afghanistan's 292. Maxwell's heroics, supported by Pat Cummins, led to an incredible three-wicket win, propelling Australia to the semi-finals. Maxwell's unbeaten 201 remains one of the most astonishing one-day innings ever witnessed in cricket history.