ICC World Cup: Maxwell's double-ton gives Australia historic victory

MUMBAI: What we just witnessed is undoubtedly one of the most monumental moments in the history of ODI cricket. Glenn Maxwell has etched his name in the history books of Australian cricket by becoming the first Australian to score a double-century.

Moreover, his extraordinary innings rescued Australia from the brink of defeat, allowing them to emerge victorious over Afghanistan by three wickets.

Australia's chase of a modest target of 292 initially appeared to crumble under the relentless onslaught of Rashid Khan (2/44), Naveen ul Haq (2/47), and Azmatullah Omarzai (2/52).

At one point, they found themselves in dire straits at 91/7. It was at this critical juncture that Glenn Maxwell stepped forward to orchestrate a breathtaking partnership with the team's captain, Pat Cummins. Maxwell's (201*) unwavering courage and determination culminated in one of the most remarkable innings in the history of ODI cricket.

Pat Cummins played an indispensable role in supporting Maxwell during this chase, and their exceptional 202-run partnership ultimately propelled Australia to their victory in 46.5 overs, successfully reaching the target of 293.

While Afghanistan faced an early setback with the loss of opener Gurbaz's wicket, Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah worked together to stabilize their innings. Following Shah's departure, Zadran found valuable support from Shahidi and Azmatullah.

Eventually, Zadran (129*) achieved a century, becoming the first Afghan cricketer to score a hundred in the World Cup. The brilliance of Rashid Khan's cameo (35*) in the latter stages of the innings helped Afghanistan post a total of 291/5 in 50 overs.

As we look ahead, Afghanistan's hopes for advancing to the semi-finals hinge on winning their final match against South Africa on November 10. Meanwhile, Australia has all but secured their place in the semi-finals and is poised to face Bangladesh in their last group-stage match on November 11.

Scorecard:

Afghanistan: 291/5 (50 overs)

Australia: 293/7 (46.5 overs)