In the final 10 overs of the Australian chase as a crampstruck Glenn Maxwell completed a single, an event so rare compared to his routine sixes on the night, he fell flat on the ground. As he was being attended to by the physios, Adam Zampa, their No. 10 batter, was ready at the boundary rope. Maxwell, though, wasn't going anywhere. Not on a night where he would script one of the most spectacular innings in ODI cricket in one of the most epic chases in World Cup history.
At 91/7 chasing Afghanistan's 291/5, the Aussies were down for the count at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday. And then, Maxwell rose. Rose like only he can, single-handedly plucking his team out of that hole and putting them into this World Cup semi-final with an unbeaten 201 off 128 balls. 144 of those runs came in boundaries, with Maxwell effectively batting on one leg and plenty of heart for a large part of that knock battling cramps on a typically humid Mumbai day.
Maxwell was playing T20 style in ODI cricket amid Test-like scenes: farm the strike; go big or nothing. From 91/7, Maxwell and Pat Cummins, who mostly blocked in a 68-ball 12, took Australia home with more than three overs to spare.
The Afghans, who had conquered England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Netherlands this World Cup, were well in sight of Mount Australia. Until one man stood taller than an entire team.
Batting first after winning the toss, Afghanistan made optimum use of the conditions backed by a couple of firsts. Ibrahim Zadran's unbeaten 129 made him the first Afghan centurion in a World Cup, and their 291/5 the team's highest score in the pinnacle of 50-overs cricket.
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