Glenn Maxwell played the best innings of the 2023 World Cup and possibly the greatest knock in the history of ODI cricket as Australia completed a miraculous three-wicket win over Afghanistan in Mumbai on Tuesday.
Chasing a mammoth target of 292, Australia were on the brink of a heavy defeat as they slumped to 91-7. But from there, Maxwell - who was cramping severely for the latter part of the innings - smashed a devastating double century to secure victory.
Maxwell, who had been dropped earlier in the day, hit an unbelievable 201 not out off 128 balls with 21 fours and 10 sixes to single-handedly win the game and secure qualification for the semi-finals.
Victory seemed a long way away at the start. Australia's batsmen had no clue against the new-ball swing of Naveen ul Haq (2-47) and Azmatullah Omarzai (2-52).
Naveen had Travis Head nibbling at an away swinger while Omarzai castled David Warner with a booming in-swinger. Wicketkeeper Josh Inglis edged Omarzai first ball to slip and Marnus Labuschagne got run out against the run of play.
After Marcus Stoinis was trapped lbw by Rashid Khan and Mitchell Starc caught behind acrobatically off the same bowler, Australia were down in the dumps at 91-7 with Maxwell the last recognised batsman standing, in the company of captain Pat Cummins.
But then came the match-defining moment in the 22nd over, bowled by wrist spinner Noor Ahmad. Maxwell first survived an lbw dismissal on review before miscuing a sweep that looped to short fine where Mujeeb ur Rahman dropped the simplest of chances. Two lives in one over was a signal that this was Maxwell's day. And he did not hold back.
He went after Afghanistan's spinners every over, with Cummins simply blocking deliveries or turning the strike over.
Maxwell reached his hundred off 76 balls, with a little over 100 needed inside 18 overs.
Then started the real masterclass. Maxwell cramped up badly and could barely take a few steps. So he turned to golf, swinging freely from where he stood as the equation quickly came down to a run a ball.
Maxwell crossed 150 off just 104 balls, after which he unleashed the most audacious shot of the match - a reverse swept six off seamer Omarzai on one good leg.
By then, Maxwell was only hitting boundaries and both batsmen were refusing singles. It turned out to be a masterstroke as Afghanistan's bowlers kept feeding hittable deliveries under mounting pressure.
It was only fitting that Maxwell hit the winning shot - a swipe six over mid wicket for his double ton. Cummins contributed 12 in a partnership of 202.
Earlier, Afghanistan showed excellent application to post a healthy 291-5 batting first.
Opening batsman Ibrahim Zadran struck Afghanistan's maiden World Cup hundred to hold the innings together with the rest of the batting line-up making sizeable contributions throughout.
Zadran anchored the Afghan innings with an unbeaten 129 from 143 balls, a knock studded with eight fours and three sixes.
All-rounder Rashid Khan smashed an unbeaten 35 off 18 balls with three sixes and two fours to provide the late flourish.
Afghanistan crossed the 200-run mark in the 41st over; in hindsight they could have started their death overs charge a lot sooner and pushed the score past 300.
Even so, Rashid farmed the strike in the end and clobbered Mitchell Starc for two sixes and a four in the last over of the innings to make it almost a run-a-ball chase for the Aussies.
