Glenn Maxwell's availability for BAN uncertain after double-century heroics

Glenn Maxwell is still feeling the effects of his stunning ICC World Cup 2023 double century and could now miss Australias final group match against Bangladesh in Pune on Saturday Australia will also look at calling up fast bowler Sean Abbott in a bid to rest one of their frontline pace trio given captain Pat Cummins Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood have featured in all eight matches so far in the tournament The Bangladesh game is a dead fixture for Australia given they have already qualified for the semifinals after Maxwells astounding innings ensured they defeated Afghanistan by three wickets having collapsed to 917 chasing 292 in Mumbai on Tuesday Fivetime champions Australia are now set to play South Africa in a Kolkata semifinal on Thursday having won six games in a row after starting the tournament with two defeats Hes definitely been in full recovery mode the last few days Australia assistant coach Daniel Vettori said of Maxwell We all saw the effects of the innings and in particular the heat so I think today Friday is a big day the former New Zealand captain added Obviously weve had a couple of days off so theres been no training Hes not here today but well just see how he feels as the day continues Maxwell while completing his 147th run suffered severe cramp in both legs and then underwent a back spasm as he collapsed to the turf at Mumbais Wankhede Stadium Yet despite being then barely able to move in his crease he still went on to make 201 not out off just 128 balls The 35yearold allrounder struck 21 fours and secured both victory and his double century with a tenth sixAlso Read Bruised but not batteredAustralia are set to leave a decision on whether to play Maxwell against Bangladesh until shortly before the game with star batsman Steve Smith set to be recalled following a bout of vertigo If Maxwell is omitted and Smith included that would spare Australias selectors from deciding if they had to drop either batsman Marnus Labuschagne or allrounder Marcus Stoinis Meanwhile Vettori said the 31yearold Abbott had a chance of a World Cup debut To try to get those three fast bowlers Cummins Starc and Hazlewood through nine games and in a short period of time we always presumed that would be a tough challenge said Vettori So Sean was always in the picture as a potential replacement for one of themIts just weighing up how everyones come through these last few days Although little rests on the outcome of Saturdays match Vettori added Australia were still keen to leapfrog South Africa into second place in the standings I think the home dressing room at Kolkatas Eden Gardens is better than the away one so we want second place so we can get in that dressing room he saidWith inputs from agencies