Sport
Incredible Maxwell takes Australia to improbable win, World Cup semis
Glenn Maxwell fought through cramps to smash an unbeaten 201 off 128 balls, single-handedly guiding Australia to an improbable three-wicket win over Afghanistan in a World Cup match on Tuesday and sealing the team’s spot in the semi-finals, Reuters reported.
Afghanistan appeared set for a famous victory against five-time champions Australia at the floodlit Wankhede Stadium, reducing them to 91 for seven wickets after setting them a victory target of 292.
But the Afghans then watched in disbelief as Maxwell launched an extraordinary counter-attack. With captain Pat Cummins for company, Maxwell took Australia past Afghanistan’s total of 291 for five wickets with 19 balls to spare.
The right-handed batsman suffered cramps after going past his fourth hundred in the 50-over format but laboured on, cutting down on running between the wickets to manage the pain and relying more on big hits.
In total, Maxwell hit 21 fours and 10 sixes during his knock – many of them on one leg and the last six sealed the victory and also brought up his double century, read the report.
“Horrific, I feel shocking,” said Maxwell. “It was quite hot when we were fielding, I haven’t done a whole lot of high intensity exercise in the heat. It got a hold of me today, I was lucky to stick it out until the end.”
Cummins remained unbeaten on 12 from 68 balls but more importantly added 202 for the unbroken eighth wicket partnership.
Afghanistan held numerous meetings on the ground but were unable to find a way to dislodge Maxwell, who was dropped on 33 by Mujeeb Ur Rahman off Noor Ahmad’s bowling.
Maxwell was also adjudged out leg before wicket in the same over against Noor but the batsman managed to successfully overturn the umpire’s decision on appeal.
“Really disappointed. Cricket is a funny game, it was unbelievable,” Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi said.
“We were in the game. Our bowlers started really well, we dropped chances for the eighth wicket. Maxwell doesn’t stop, I have to give credit to him.”
Afghanistan seamers Naveen-ul-Haq and Azmatullah Omarzai had struck early blows with the ball to reduce Australia to 49-4 after opening batsman Ibrahim Zadran’s maiden World Cup hundred helped Afghanistan post a competitive total.
With Steve Smith missing from the side due to a bout of vertigo, Australia did not seem to have the batting depth to chase down the target and Rashid Khan’s two quick strikes seemed to have all but sealed the match in Afghanistan’s favour.
Tuesday’s victory took Australia to 12 points. They became the third team to reach the semi-finals with India and South Africa having already booked their spots, Reuters reported.
Zadran anchored the Afghan innings earlier with an unbeaten 129 from 143 balls after the South Asian side won the toss and elected to bat. The 21-year-old Zadran’s fifth hundred in the 50-overs format was studded with eight fours and three sixes.
All-rounder Rashid smashed an unbeaten 35 off 18 balls with three sixes and two fours to provide Afghanistan with some quick runs towards the end.
Skipper Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru hammer Gujarat Titans by four wickets for their third successive IPL win on Saturday.
Chasing a modest 148 for victory, Du Plessis, who hit 64, and Kohli, who made 42, laid the foundations with a stand of 92 in 35 balls as the target was achieved with 6.2 overs to spare at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, AFP reported.
Du Plessis’ departure triggered a collapse as Gujarat hit back with wickets from Joshua Little and Noor Ahmad to have the opposition in trouble at 117-6 when Kohli was dismissed.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik, who hit 21, and Swapnil Singh, who made 15, made sure there was no more drama as they steered the team home in an unbeaten stand of 35.
Bowlers set up victory after pace spearhead Mohammed Siraj removed the openers early and Gujarat lost regular wickets to be bowled out for 147 in 19.3 overs.
It was Bengaluru’s fourth win and third on the bounce in 11 matches as they jumped from the bottom of the table to seventh and keep their slim play-off hopes alive.
Gujarat’s hopes are also hanging by a thread as they slumped to their seventh loss in 11 matches.
Kohli, who reclaimed the top batting spot with 542 runs, came out roaring as he hit Mohit Sharma for two sixes in the opening over of the chase and Du Plessis soon joined in and moved ahead to raise his fifty in 18 balls.
The South African veteran smashed 10 fours and three sixes in his 23-ball blitz before being dismissed by Ireland left-arm quick Little.
Little took two more wickets including Glenn Maxwell for four as Bengaluru slipped to 107-4.
Little sent back Cameron Green and then Noor’s left-arm wrist spin silenced the home crowd when he had Kohli caught behind, but the hosts had the last laugh when Singh hit the winning six.
Earlier put into bat, Gujarat went three down for 19 inside six over before big-hitter Shahrukh Khan, who top-scored with 37, stood strong in a 61-run stand with David Miller, who hit 30 off 20 balls.
Left-handed Rahul Tewatia hit a 21-ball 35 and put on another key stand with Rashid Khan to add respect to the total.
In the continuation of Afghanistan Champions League (ACL) tournaments, Sarsabz Yashlar FC beat Khadim FC 2-1 in the 29th match of this league.
Shokrullah Kohi was named man of the match for Sarsabz Yashlar.
In the 30th exciting match, Sorkh Poshan Khafi thrashed Istiqlal Kabul FC 6-0.
Omid Rajabi secured three goals against Istiqlal Kabul and was named man of the match.
In Sunday’s matches, Mawj Sahil FC will face Adalat Farah FC at 1:00pm and Abu Muslim Farah FC will face Maiwand FC at 3:30 p.m.
The matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television.
Aino Mina defeated Adalat Farah 2-1 in the 27th match of Afghanistan Champions League (ACL) in Kabul on Friday. In the other game of the day, Khorasan Faryab beat Jawanan Wahedi with the same result.
In the first game of the day, the first goal was scored by Abdul Ali Wahedi from Adalat Farah, before Ahmad Nabi Moqadas and Khalil Ahmad Badushah scored for Aino Mina.
In the 28th match of the tournament, Hayatullah Salimi netted twice for Khurasan. Farzad Barakzai scored Jawanan Wahedi’s only goal.
In Saturday’s matches, Sarsabz Yashlar will face Khadim at 1:00 p.m. and Sorkh Poshan Khafi will face Istiqlal Kabul at 3:30 p.m.
The matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television.
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