The Biggest Show: Wounded Maxi hits epic double ton in 'greatest ...

A wounded Glenn Maxwell has courageously guided Australia towards a miraculous three-wicket victory over Afghanistan at Wankhede Stadium, cracking an unbeaten double-century on one leg.

The Australians, chasing a 292-run target for victory, were in dire straits at 7-91 when captain Pat Cummins joined Maxwell at the crease in the 19th over. However, the duo combined for a 202-run partnership for the eighth wicket to reel in the target with 19 balls to spare.

It was Australia’s highest successful run chase in World Cup history and the highest successful ODI run chase at Wankhede Stadium.

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Maxwell, while suffering severe cramps, smacked 21 boundaries and ten sixes throughout his lion-hearted 128-ball knock, finishing unbeaten on 201. Incredibly, nobody else in the team mustered more than 24 runs, while Cummins contributed just 12 in the record-breaking partnership.

The Victorian, who missed Australia’s previous World Cup match due to concussion protocols, could hardly walk during the second half of the run chase, hobbling between the wickets and repeatedly seeking medical attention. At one stage, the 35-year-old’s entire body began spasming after he collapsed on the deck, having shuffled through for a regulation single.

The pain-stricken Maxwell was forced to deal in boundaries for several overs, simply because he could not get to the other end.

“I feel shocking,” Maxwell laughed in the post-match presentation.

“I haven’t really done a whole lot of high-intensity exercise in the heat. It certainly got a hold of me today.

“We came out with a plan to stay at the same end for a little bit until I could get some movement back, and luckily enough I was able to stick it out to the end.”

Glenn Maxwell of Australia. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Highest scores by Australians in men’s ODIs

201* — Glenn Maxwell vs AFG, 2023

185* — Shane Watson vs BAN, 2011

181* — Matthew Hayden vs NZ, 2007

179 — David Warner vs PAK, 2017

178 — David Warner vs AFG, 2015

Maxwell received support from Afghanistan’s fielders and the Hawkeye technology — he was dropped twice early in his innings, also surviving a couple of marginal DRS calls.

“I certainly had my chances,” Maxwell grinned.

“I led a charmed life out there. I was very lucky.”

Maxwell became the first Australian men’s player to score an ODI double-century and the only cricketer to achieve the feat batting at No. 3 or lower. If it wasn’t the greatest performance in ODI history, it was certainly the most courageous.

“That’s just ridiculous,” Cummins said in the post-match presentation.

“Maxy was out of this world.

“It’s got to be the greatest ODI innings that’s ever happened.”

Australia, having secured its sixth consecutive victory in the tournament, has booked its spot in the World Cup semi-finals, where they will come up against South Africa.

“After the first two games, everyone was quick to write us off,” Maxwell said.

“To come back and win six straight is a great effort from this group.

“The belief is always there. To win a game like tonight, hopefully that belief spreads through the changeroom.”

Glenn Maxwell of Australia. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Earlier, Ibrahim Zadran became the first Afghanistan cricketer to score a World Cup hundred, reaching triple figures in the first innings of the epic contest.

The 21-year-old carried his bat against Australia’s world-class bowling attack, smacking eight boundaries and three sixes on his way towards an unbeaten 129 (143), the highest men’s World Cup score against Australia since 1999.

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and elected to bat first in Mumbai, with Josh Hazlewood snaring Australia’s first breakthrough in the eighth over when opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz top-edged a pull shot towards deep square leg.

Zadran brought up his half-century in 62 deliveries, combining with Rahmat Shah for an 83-run partnership for the second wicket before Maxwell broke the stand in the 25th over. Shah charged down the crease and holed out towards long-off, where Hazlewood swallowed a regulation chance.

Hashmatullah Shahidi joined Zadran in the middle for a patient 51-run stand before Starc produced a vintage yorker that thudded into the left-hander’s middle stump. The scoring rate picked up after Azmatullah Omarzai launched a couple of glorious sixes over long-off, but leg-spinner Adam Zampa had the last laugh, knocking over the all-rounder for a swift 22.

Zadran brought up his fifth ODI hundred in the 44th over with a streaky single, which could have resulted in a disastrous run-out if not for a wayward throw from Cummins. The opener needed 131 deliveries to reach the milestone, but switched gears immediately after celebrating his feat.

Highest Men’s World Cup scores vs Australia

132* — Neil Johnson (ZIM), 1999

130 — Chris Harris (NZ), 1996

129* — Ibrahim Zadran (AFG), 2023

117 — Shikhar Dhawan (IND), 2019

116 — Rachin Ravindra (NZ), 2023

Ibrahim Zadran of Afghanistan. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Afghanistan clobbered 75 runs from the final six overs, courtesy of some late fireworks from Zadran and superstar all-rounder Rashid Khan.

Khan, who finished with an unbeaten 35 (18), was lucky to survive a controversial umpiring decision in the 48th over, with Marcus Stoinis claiming a low catch at deep cover that was overturned by third official Chris Gaffaney.

The Adelaide Strikers cult hero plundered a couple of sixes in Starc’s final over, steering Afghanistan towards 5-291, the nation’s highest score in World Cups. Hazlewood was the pick of the Australian bowlers, finishing with 2-39 from nine overs.

The run chase has gotten off to a horror start, with flat-footed opener Travis Head departing for a second-ball duck after edging a length delivery from Naveen-ul-Haq through to wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil in the second over. Later in the same over, Shah put down a tough chance at gully, handing David Warner an early life on 4.

Mitchell Marsh slapped a couple of boundaries before Naveen-ul-Haq trapped him on the pads plumb LBW for 24 — the West Australian didn’t bother calling for a review.

Naveen-ul-Haq of Afghanistan. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Afghanistan was suddenly in the box seat when Omarzai knocked over Warner and wicketkeeper Josh Inglis in back-to-back deliveries, leaving the Australians in dire straits at 4-49. Warner’s off stump was uprooted after attempting a reckless slow towards cow corner, while Inglis trudged off for a golden duck after wafting at a wide delivery and edging towards first slip.

Afghanistan reviewed the hat-trick delivery in search of an LBW dismissal, but replays showed the ball had struck Maxwell’s bat, missing the pad entirely.

Things went from bad to worse for the Australians when Marnus Labuschagne was needlessly run out in the 15th over after reacting slowly to Maxwell’s call for a quick single, with Shah nailing the direct hit from mid-wicket.

Stoinis, Australia’s last recognised batter, was lucky to survive a review later in the same over, saved by Umpire’s Call on Hawkeye. However, the right-hander couldn’t make the most of the early reprieve, botching a reverse sweep against Khan and dismissed LBW, wasting a review before returning to the sheds.

The Australians weren’t doing themselves any favours. In Khan’s following over, Starc was given out caught behind after Alikhil held onto a juggling catch behind the stumps. However, the left-hander bizarrely didn’t call for a review despite replays showing he hadn’t nicked the ball, which instead kissed his off stump.

Australia was suddenly 7-91, and Afghanistan was within touching distance of a historic victory.

Rashid Khan of Afghanistan. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Luck started to fall in Australia’s favour, with Maxwell surviving three chances in a dramatic 11-ball passage of play. After Shahidi dropped a one-handed catch at extra cover, the Victorian successfully reviewed an LBW decision in the 22nd over, with Hawkeye suggesting the ball would have bounced over middle stump — nobody was more surprised than Maxwell himself, who was halfway off the field when the green light appeared.

Moments later, Mujeeb Ur Rahman dropped a straightforward chance at short fine leg to deny Noor Ahmad his first wicket of the match. Australia should have been 8-112 with Maxwell back in the sheds.

Maxwell, who was on 33 at the time, decided it was time to pick up the tempo. Cummins watched from the non-striker’s end as the Big Show started to work his magic, repeatedly slapping Afghanistan’s spinners down the ground whenever they overpitched.

He raced from fifty to his hundred in just 25 deliveries, acknowledging the crowd but showing little emotion — he knew there was still a long way to go.

Maxwell continued whipping out an assortment of drives, flicks and sweeps, but it soon became apparent he was in discomfort. His running between the wickets morphed into an awkward hobble, then a walk, then a limp.

Zampa stood by the boundary rope in waiting, expecting his wounded teammate to retire hurt at any moment — but Maxwell ignored the Australian team physio’s pleas.

Not only was his running between the wickets affected, but also his batting. Maxwell’s footwork was practically non-existent as he raced past 150, relying solely on his hand-eye coordination and power generated by his arms to find the boundary.

Yet, somehow, he continued doing so.

Australia's Glenn Maxwell. Photo by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE / AFPSource: AFP

Off-balanced pull shots found the fence, reverse paddles cleared short third man; even his edges flew past the wicketkeeper for four runs.

The most ludicrous shot was a reverse sweep against Omarzai, where Maxwell widened his stance slightly, adjusted his grip, and thumped the ball over deep point for six. He was toying with Afghanistan's rattled bowlers.

Maxwell got the job done with four consecutive boundaries in the 47th over. Six, six, four, six. The poor bowler? Mujeeb, who had watched the Australian plunder 168 runs since his costly dropped catch.

The Mumbai crowd, which has been supporting Afghanistan throughout the entire contest, went berserk when Maxwell’s final six sailed over the fence, while the Australian dugout became a wild frenzy of hugs, yelling and applause.

Maxwell raised his arms, pumped his fists and embraced his captain. He had just cemented his name in sporting folklore with a performance that rivalled Kapil Dev’s unbeaten 175 against Zimbabwe in 1983.

It’s just a crying shame most of the country wasn’t awake to see it.