An injured Glenn Maxwell scored 201 not out off 128 balls to lead Australia to victory; Ibrahim Zadran recorded Afghanistan's first century at a World Cup; Watch England vs Netherlands on Wednesday from 8am ahead of the first ball at 8.30am, live on Sky Sports Cricket
Wednesday 8 November 2023 07:58, UK
Glenn Maxwell's heroics led Australia into the semi-finals after completing their highest run chase in a Cricket World Cup match to beat Afghanistan by three wickets in Mumbai.
Australia slumped to 91-7 chasing Afghanistan's seemingly imposing 291-5 but an injured Maxwell dragged his side to victory after nursing various cramps on field with a valiant 201 not out off 128 balls, after he was dropped on 33.
His spectacular one-leg cameo included 21 fours and 10 sixes as he recorded Australia's highest individual ODI score and became only the third player to make a World Cup double century.
Earlier, Afghanistan also put on an impressive performance with Ibrahim Zadran hitting a sublime 129 not out to make history by becoming his country’s first batter to score a century in a World Cup.
Afghanistan's onslaught continued with the ball when they removed Travis Head (0), Mitchell Marsh (24) David Warner (18) all within the powerplay.
However, their seamers and spinners struggled to remove Maxwell and Australia's skipper Pat Cummins, who shared an unbeaten 202-run stand. It was Australia's highest eight-wicket partnership, breaking the record of of 119 between Shane Warne and Paul Reiffel.
Australia qualify for the semi-finals moving into third place, while Afghanistan remain sixth.
Maxwell was dropped on 33 at short fine leg by Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the 22nd over, which was just one of the many costly mistakes Afghanistan made in the field.
The 35-year-old, who was ruled out with concussion for his side's win against England on Saturday after falling off a golf buggy last week, rescued his side in the most unbelievable fashion. He raced to his half-century off 51 balls before motoring to a 76-ball century with Cummins helping to consolidate the innings at the other end.
Maxwell was visibly whimpering on the field and received treatment for his back in the 38th over before he fell to the ground with his legs cramping in the 40th over. Adam Zampa was on the boundary edge ready to replace the Australian star, but he hobbled back to take guard with Australia needing 47 more runs from 48 balls.
The box office performance continued with a newfound courage as the historic victory was in sight.
Cummins kept Maxwell on strike by defending the ball and he repaid the skipper by flogging Mujeeb for six, six, four and six in the final over, hitting the winning runs and claiming one of the greatest Australia victories in ODI cricket.
When Travis Head nicked behind to Ikram Alikhil and was dismissed for nought in the second over, there was a feeling Afghanistan might cause another World Cup upset. The nerves trickled through the rest of the top order which saw them skittled for 91-7 by the 19th over.
Mitchell Marsh (24) was trapped lbw by Naveen (2-47) and Azmatullah (2-52) took back-to-back wickets that saw Warner (18) bowled and Inglis edge to Zadran at second slip.
Afghanistan have never taken a hat-trick in a World Cup before and the opportunity to create another historic moment was presented to Azmatullah. He caught the edge of Maxwell’s bat when he was on two, but the ball didn't carry to the wicketkeeper.
Labuschagne (14) was run out by Rahmanullah Gurbaz after he was late to set off for a single and put in a desperate dive, but his bat was raised when the bails lit up bringing an end to his outing.
Rashid had Marcus Stoinis (six) trapped lbw after he attempted a reverse sweep shot and then a terrific juggling catch from wicketkeeper Ikram saw the end of Mitchell Starc (three). However, the review later showed Starc didn’t hit the ball.
Zadran reached his half-century off 61 balls, his sixth in ODI and second in the World Cup, before he motored to a historic 101 off 131 deliveries.
Australia’s bowlers toiled hard for their wickets in humid conditions with the first breakthrough coming only in the eighth over when Josh Hazlewood (2-39) had Rahmanullah Gurbaz (21) caught at deep square leg.
It was 17 overs later Australia's next wicket came when Maxwell (1-55) had Rahmat Shah (30) caught at long-off bringing an end to the 83-run partnership with Zadran.
Zadran continued to anchor the innings, sharing a 52-run stand with Hashmatullah Shahidi (26) but the Afghanistan skipper became Starc’s one and only victim with a full length delivery clattering into his stumps as he tried to play a sweep shot, leaving Afghanistan 173-3.
Adam Zampa (1-58) was rewarded with a wicket after he toiled hard for 10 overs and eventually had Azmatullah (22) caught at long-off by Maxwell. Hazlewood splattered Mohammad Nabi's (22) stumps to clean up the tail after he attempted to heave him into the leg-side but missed.
Australia’s bowlers weren’t able to put a stop to a late cameo by Rashid Khan and Zadran as their explosive unbeaten partnership added 58 runs dragging Afghanistan from a modest 233-5 to what seemed like an imposing 291-5.
Australia captain Pat Cummins:
"Maxi was just ridiculous. I don't know how he did it, he was out of this world. It has to be the greatest ODI innings that has ever happened.
"When he is chasing, he always has a plan so even from 200 behind, he was still mapping out a way to win the game."
Player of the Match, Glenn Maxwell:
"I feel terrific!
"The plan was to stick to our batting plans as much as we possibly could. For me it was still trying to be positive, still trying to take them on, punish bad balls and others I could score off."
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi:
"We are very disappointed, it was unbelievable for us. Our bowlers started very well but the dropped chances cost us.
"We will do our best to try and think about the next game and come back strong against South Africa on Friday."
England take on the Netherlands on Wednesday in Pune with coverage from 8am ahead of the first ball at 8.30am on Sky Sports Cricket.
The defending champions are out of the World Cup but can still qualify for the Champions Trophy if they finish in the top seven.
