(Image source: X.com)
[Saba Sports News] Australia batting all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has finally announced his arrival in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 as he played a sensational innings against the Netherlands on Wednesday at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium and broke multiple records with his century knock.
Australia, while batting first in the 24th match of the World Cup 2023, gave the target of 400 runs to the Dutch team. Earlier in the match, Australia opener David Warner notched his 22nd ODI hundred and sixth ton in the ODI World Cups. He also became the fourth Australian player to smash two consecutive hundreds in the ODI World Cup history. But it was Maxwell who stole the show with his 106-run remarkable knock, which came in 44 balls with the help of nine fours and eight sixes at a strike rate of 240.91.
The 35-year-old smashed the fastest hundred in the ODI World Cup history. His 40-ball century surpasses the record set by Aiden Markram against Sri Lanka earlier in the tournament, who smashed a hundred in 49 balls at the same venue. Additionally, he smashed the fourth-fastest hundred in ODI cricket history after AB de Villiers (31 balls hundred against West Indies), Corey Anderson (36 against West Indies), and Shahid Afridi (37 against Lanka).
Maxwell came to the crease in the 39th over, but he eventually played his first ball of the innings in the 41st over. The Melbourne-born become the first batter in the ODI format to score a century after having faced the first ball post the 40th over.
An unreal acceleration was orchestrated by ‘The Big Show’ as he was batting on 35 runs in 21 balls at one stage. He then added 71 runs in his next 23 balls. With the help of his monstrous knock, Australia accumulated 131 runs in the last ten overs against the Netherlands.
“It feels pretty good. I have been pretty cooked today so I wasn’t expecting much but it probably cleared my head a little bit to be able to go out there and play,” said Maxwell in the innings break.
“The situation when Warner and Greeny (Cameron Green) both got out probably made me play the situation a little differently,” he added.