The big Show as Glenn Maxwell is called played an innings of a lifetime to break Afghanistan hearts to win a match from a losing position from being 91/7 and chasing 291 to get Australia into the semifinals of yet another World Cup.
Glenn Maxwell was dropped twice, given out LBW but DRS saved him. He almost walked off to the dressing room thinking he was out, but this reprieve gave him the belief that this was his day and he pulled of an innings of 201 runs of 128 balls which had 21 boundaries and 10 sixes to pull off an incredible win for Australia.
In the middle of his innings, he was having back spasms, he could not run as he was totally cramping up and the last 100 runs were scored on one leg, yes you read me right and he was standing still and hitting the gaps to shatter the dreams of Afghanistan’s hopes who had dreamt that
they had already put a leg in the semifinals after Australia were 91-7.
There were reverse sweeps which are his trademark shots, and he was hitting them at will. I remember Kapil Dev’s innings of 175 in the 1983 World Cup when India was 17-5 against Zimbabwe which we were not privileged to see but this innings by Glenn Maxwell was as special as Kapil Dev's knock. Just last week he had a mishap hurting himself and missed the last game against England. And there would not have been a better day when Australia wanted him to pull off one of the greatest wins for Australia.
There was a famous saying in their dressing room, ‘yes I can and yes I will ‘and this is what Maxwell 'the big show' did for Australia to take a famous win.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
