WATCH: Glenn Maxwell Smashes 22 Runs Off Last 4 Balls Of Mujeeb Ur Rahman In Australia’s Win In ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Match

Glenn Maxwell scored his maiden ODI double century in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match against Afghanistan in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Glenn Maxwell en route to smashing a double century vs Afghanistan in World Cup 2023 match. (Photo: AP)

Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell smashed a heroic and sensational double century to lift his side from 91 for 7 against Afghanistan in their ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday. Battling cramps and back pain, Maxwell carried Australia across the line and into the semifinal of the World Cup 2023.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) was sensational in what turned out to the final over of the innings bowled by Afghan mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Needing 21 to win off 24 balls, Maxwell smashed Mujeeb for 3 sixes and a four to bring up his maiden ODI double ton off 128 balls and end the game with more than three overs to spare.

Maxwell’s big hitting in the 47th over of the match went viral on social media. Australian skipper Pat Cummins, who scored just 12 runs in a double century stand for the eighth wicket, called it the ‘greatest ODI innings’ ever.

WATCH Glenn Maxwell smash Mujeeb Ur Rahman for 22 runs in 4 balls HERE…

Maxwell , simply unbelievable the last over amazing @CricketAus @TheRealPCB #AUSvsAFG #Maxwell # pic.twitter.com/Bh6Vw4XMey — Sikander Bakht (@Sikanderbakhts) November 7, 2023

Maxwell was on 147 at the time, with his team still needing 55 to win, and his exhaustion from bowling his entire 10-over quota in the Afghanistan innings took a toll on his health.

“We talked about coming off, trying to get some work into my back and trying to loosen up my legs a little bit. Jonesy (Nick Jones) the physio said it would be really hard for me to come back down the stairs after that. We just came up with ‘let’s stay at the same end’ for as long as you can until you feel like you can walk to the other end or if there’s an easy single here and there,” Maxwell told Cricket Australia website.

“It was a strange one because I was cramping in one of my toes, which was going up the front of my shin. Then as I set off to try and get down the other end, I cramped in my calf as well. I was cramping both sides of my lower leg, and as I went ‘oh no, I’m cramping’ I cramped in my left hamstring at the same time. I was like, I’ve got both legs cramping, and then I had a back spasm when I hit the ground,” he added.

Maxwell also revealed how he planned to attack other bowlers and keep Rashid Khan at bay. “We knew Rashid had about 18 balls left that was going to happen in the last 13 overs or something like that. As long as we kept him out of the game I felt like I could hit boundaries off the others. So was more about negating him, not letting him have a shot at the rest of the tail. If we could keep him out of the backend of the game we’d be alright,” he said.