Cricket Classics - Part Xvii : 2023 Cricket World Cup - Afghanistan vs Australia; Maxwell's 201*

Hello, fellow Sports Enthusiasts,

Cricket is not just a sport between two teams; it's a battle of skills, strategy, and capitalizing on clutch moments. Although the game has transformed over the decades, it has never failed to impress or leave us with unforgettable moments.

So, through this series, I will present some of the most iconic cricket matches that have made fans jump out of their seats. Let's remember those legendary games once a week. I am with another iconic match.

Made by leonardo.ai

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Is this the greatest ODI knock ever? Either way, it can be regarded as one of the best finishing knocks you will ever see. Chasing down a target of 292 at the biggest stage, coming to the crease at 49/4, batting with a cramp, 200+ partnership with the +th man, scoring 201 runs, and especially winning the match. Well, it was a special inning from Maxwell.

Without any doubt, the match was in Aussie's favor from the start. But with the time progress, it almost came to 100% for Afghanistan. But Maxwell single-handedly pulled off a stunner from their succeeding almost an impossible task.

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The 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup was the 13th edition of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, hosted in India, with 10 teams. Australia, who ultimately became the champions by beating the hosts in the final, had a very strong team as always. Under the captaincy of Pat Cummins, they had David Warner, Steve Smith, Head, Starc, Stoinis, Hazlewood etc.

On the other hand, Afghanistan was not just a small team anymore. Their rise in the last few years is truly remarkable, and they were already making sights to the semi-final spot defeating England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Hashmatullah Shahidi was leading the team with Rashid Khan, Ibrahim Zadran, Gurbaz, Nabi etc.

src

It was November 07, 2023, at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat. They got a decent start but, fell the first wicket for 38. Other batters got starts, but couldn't turn them into big runs. Anyway, one man was anchoring the inning. Ibrahim Zadran played a lifetime knock of 129 runs off 143 balls. It was Afghan's first World cup century. With a small cameo from Rashid Khan, they posted 291/5.

It was a respective total, with the balling unit Aghans had.

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The chase on, and Afghanistan's fast ballers immediately showed their intensity. Naveen-ul-Haq trapped dangerous Head for a duck in the second over. Starting from that, the top order collapsed quickly, giving high hope to the Afghans. Anyway, our hero came to the crease at 49/4 in the 9th over. Still, the batters we cornered, and the score was 91/7 in the 19th, when our protagonist and Pat Cummins joined the party.

From there Maxwell started the firecrackers. He had no mercy, and when looking at his shots it looked very simple for him. Even though he suffered from a leg cramp, he didn't give up. When he was struggling to run, he decided to deal with boundaries.

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On the other hand, Cummins gave crucial support defending his end. That effort must be appreciated, as his 12 runs off 68 balls, were very crucial at the moment.

Maxwell scored 201* runs off just 128 balls. That inning included 21 4s and 10 6s. It was ruthless, and the fastest double hundred, and the highest individual score batting second as well.

So, with that brilliant effort, they chased down an impossible target and won the match by 3 wickets (with 19 balls remaining)

See you at the next episode!! You can always suggest a match to discuss in the next episode.

src - Wikipedia
espncricinfo

Thank you.
Best Regards!