Qudrat ka nizam works again, Maxwell wrestles victory from the jaws of Afghanistan

In the 39th match of the World Cup, Australian batsman Glenn Maxwell snatched victory from Afghanistan with what is bring called one of the best innings in ODI history.

The Australian batsman scored 201 runs to guide his team to victory after a defeat looked almost guaranteed.

Afghanistan scored 291 runs for the loss of five wickets in the allotted 50 overs with Ibrahim Zadran remaining unbeaten on 129 runs, becoming the first batsman to score a century for his country in the World Cup. Rahmat Shah scored 30 runs, Hashmatullah scored 26 runs, Azmatullah scored 22 runs, Rahmanullah Gurbaz 21 and Muhammad Nabi scored 12 runs. Rashid Khan was not out on 35 runs.

For Australia, Josh Hazlewood dismissed two players, Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell took one wicket each.

Chasing Afghanistan’s target of 292, Australia got off to a disappointing start, with the top-order disintegrating in front of Afghan bowlers. Half of the Kangaroos returned to the pavilion with the score at 69.

Australia was seven out for 91 runs, the match seemingly over, an Afghan win an almost certainty. But perhaps qudrat ka nizam played a factor when two easy catches were dropped, leaving Maxwell surviving.

Glenn Maxwell produced one of the most outrageous knocks in ODI history 💪#CWC23 | #AUSvAFG pic.twitter.com/v8KGIKzNc6

— ICC (@ICC) November 7, 2023

Maxwell and Cummins put on a 202-run partnership for the 8th wicket, a partnership that included only 12 runs from Cummins, with Maxwell scoring the rest. Maxwell’s unbeaten innings of 201 runs off 128 balls helped Australia to qualify for the semi-finals by defeating Afghanistan by three wickets.