Australia: ‘So beautiful, so elegant, just looking like a wow’

Glenn Maxwell lofts one on the leg side against Afghanistan yesterday. Pic/Bipin Patel

Batsmen don't need good footwork; you just need excellent hand-eye coordination and a strong mindset to win a game at any cost, is the new message Australia's Glenn Maxwell gave to this generation through his fighting, match-winning knock that helped his team beat Afghanistan by three wickets with 19 balls to spare at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday. Maxwell, who remained unbeaten on 201 off 128 balls (21x4, 10x6) showcased the best example of cricketing awareness and how to take calculative risks despite struggling with a hamstring injury.

Aussie fighting spirit

Aussies are known for their fighting spirit and on Tuesday they displayed that in totality while overcoming Afghanistan's challenge. It looked all over for the five-time champions when they lost seven wickets by the 19th over with the scoreboard reading just 91 in pursuit of Afghanistan's 291-5. However, No.6 Maxwell replicated his match-winning 44-ball 106-run knock which came against the Netherlands at New Delhi on October 25. With this triumph, the Aussies also secured their place in the semi-finals along with India and South Africa.

Ibrahim Zadran celebrates his century yesterday. Pic/Satej Shinde

Till the 27th over when Maxwell and skipper Pat Cummins (12 not out of 68 balls, 1x4) were playing on 55 and seven respectively, it was Afghanistan's match and it looked like they would easily overcome Australia. But when Maxwell took fresh guard after the drinks break in the 28th over of the innings, he welcomed spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman (0-72) with a cracking cover driven four. His intentions were clear.

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Then, he hit two sixes off the first two balls of the innings' 29th over bowled by Noor Ahmad. Maxwell needed just 76 balls to register his second century of the tournament. Even after struggling to take singles and twos due to cramps and lower back pain, he waited for the loose deliveries and capitalised on them by hitting fours and sixes. He last ran a single when on 146. After that, he dealt in fours and sixes till he reached 169. The right-hander must thank Mujeeb, who dropped him off Noor when he was on 33.

Cummins's crucial support

One man who played an equally important role in Australia's triumph was skipper Cummins, who batted at No.9 very sensibly. He contributed just 12 runs, but faced 68 balls, which was a huge support to Maxwell, with whom he stitched a 202-run stand off 170 balls for the eight wicket. Afghanistan's star leg-spinner Rashid Khan (2-44) tried his best, but it was not enough to counter Maxwell. Earlier, charged-up by opener Ibrahim Zadran's gutsy unbeaten century (129, 8x4, 3x6) and pacers Naveen-ul-Haq (2-47) and Azmatullah Omarzai (2-52), Afghanistan made it tough for the Australians.

Aussie openers David Warner (18) and Travis Head (0) began their chase for a semi-final spot, but Head lasted only two balls. Naveen pierced Head's defence with a beautiful outswinger which the left-hander edged to wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil in the second over of the innings. Then, one-drop Mitchell Marsh (11-ball 24) played some beautiful shots - a one-bounce four over Naveen's head and a cracking pull for six off the same bowler. However, Naveen had the last laugh when he trapped Marsh LBW in the same over.

By the ninth over, Australia lost their man-in-form Warner and Josh Inglis (0) off back-to-back deliveries when Omarzai first disturbed Warner's furniture with a classic inswinger and then compelled Inglis to edge one to Zadran at first slip. Australia had just 49 runs on the board with four batsmen back in the dressing room.