Australia’s final action hero, Glenn Maxwell, went from deep melancholy to double-ton high. Glenn Maxwell appeared damaged. He was gasping in pain and crawling on his knees between overs, but his spirit was unbroken.
With his bat, the Australian never stopped hitting for 201, maybe the greatest ODI knock in history. Undoubtedly, the World Cup chase’s most remarkable innings was the one that handed Afghanistan a devastating blow.
While chasing 292, the giant-killers of the tournament had Australia down to 91/7. They had defeated Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and England, and now all they had to do was pull the trigger formally.
They also had another previous world champion in their grasp. However, in an unforgettable match, Maxwell’s team crossed the finish line with a limp, turning him from the hunter to the pursued.
Maxwell’s double century was reminiscent of Pakistan’s legendary 194 against India in the 1997 Independence Cup, scored by Saeed Anwar. Maxwell, however, was not afforded the luxury of the now-repeated rule that permits an injured batter to be a runner, unlike Anwar.
The 35-year-old wished for singles, willing his battered body to give in. He even fell to the ground once, but got back up again, grimacing with pain.
Although he was unable to extend his torso or bend his knees, his hands were in a frenzy as he continued to lug the ball around the park, shattering Afghanistan’s dreams.
“I hadn’t engaged in a lot of intense physical activity in the heat.” Maxwell would then remark, “It got to me today, it was pretty hot during the day.”
“It would have been nice to say it was chanceless, but I led a charmed life, was dropped a few times,” he said with a touch of modesty. Making the most of a situation where I’ve been dumped is probably the most satisfying thing because I’ve been dropped before and didn’t take full advantage of it.
Maxwell was hospitalized during the 2019 World Cup in England following his injury from a bouncer in the nets. Feeling irritated, he struggled to find runs. His mental state was such that he prayed the wound was severe.
He would later remark, “I thought it would be my ticket out of disappointment.” “I believed that I was solely responsible for the team’s collapse.” I would wonder if anyone else was thinking, “If only Max had shown up for this tournament,” as I glanced around the changing area.
Australia was still a long way off at that point from even seeing the finish line. Maxwell appeared exhausted physically, but he didn’t exhibit any signs of tension or anxiety. His mental toughness hasn’t always been strong.
In a podcast, Maxwell has previously discussed his mental health issues. He lost it at the past World Cup. He talked of breaking down in a room with his now-wife, Vini Raman, who was his fiancée at the time.
This occurred as a result of his inclusion in the squad that was supposed to play England in the semifinal. Maxwell claimed he wasn’t mentally prepared to enter the field.
Maxwell has gone a long way from the World Cup where he could hardly make it through to becoming Australia’s savior. “Thank God, Max has turned up for this tournament,” would be the thought going through the Australian fans’ minds and the locker room.
