Australia skipper Pat Cummins was full of praise for Glenn Maxwell for his unbeaten 201-run knock against Afghanistan at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai. Australia managed to win the game by chasing 292 after being 91/7 at one stage. But Maxwell single-handedly took his team to victory tearing apart the Afghanistan bowling attack.
Cummins played the ideal second fiddle to muster only 12 runs off a massive 68 balls in the unbeaten 202-run stand with Maxwell for eighth wicket partnership. But the Aussie captain had the best seat in the house to witness the madness from the other end. "I mean, just ridiculous. I don't know how you describe this. Great win but Maxy was out of this world. It's got to be the greatest ODI innings that's ever happened. We were just chatting and I think it's just one of those days where you go, yep when that happened, I was here at the stadium. And we feel very lucky to be here," Cummins said in the post-match presentation ceremony.
Glenn Maxwell fought cramps, a bad back during his crazy knock that saw him smack 21 fours and 10 massive sixes. Perhaps, there came a time when he might have walked back to the dressing room with the next batter Adam Zampa even being ready to come out. But then Maxwell denied and decided to fight it out only to script history.
"You let Maxy actually do his thing. I mean, how am I gonna say anything to someone who's playing like that. e was great. He was calm. Whenever you're chasing, he's always got a plan. Even from 200 behind, he still mapped me out a way to win the game and it was really special. Zamps [Zampa] was on and off about three times but Maxy wanted to stay out there," Cummins further added. Australia have confirmed their semifinal spot with this win but Cummins is happy that his team believed they can win even from the position they were in.
"I think it was important. Not only for our team thinking that you can win from anywhere, but I think the opposition look at that as well... when you start mapping your 50 overs out with that in mind, you maybe use your bowlers a little bit differently. You have to. Real belief [in the side] and you know, obviously into the semi finals now. It's great," the Aussie captain added.
