There are some days when all you have is gratitude for witnessing something so outlandish that it can never happen again. Glenn Maxwell provided for one such day, as he conjured a knock that was beyond anyone's wildest imagination. Dehydrated, cramped up and barely able to walk but undefeated, Maxwell hit an absolutely epic double century (201 off 128 balls; 21 fours, 10 sixes) to turn the match on its head single-handedly and register one of the most incredible turnaround wins in World Cup history. Australia went from 91/7 to 293/7 and posted a stunning three-wicket win against the shell-shocked Afghanistan, in their 2023 ODI World Cup clash on Tuesday. The glorious come-from-behind victory also confirmed Australia's semifinal berth. Catch the highlights of the AUS vs AFG match here (Report | Scorecard | Full Coverage)
10:17pm: Australia Win! Maxwell Gets 200!
Maxwell has done it! He has done the impossible. We have witnessed something beyond epic tonight. Maxwell finds the strength to hit three more sixes, get to a double century and win Australia the match simultaneously. Surely a contender for one of the best knocks of all time, not just the World Cup. Afghanistan are shell-shocked but they can only salute a herculean, once-in-a-lifetime innings.
10:13pm: AUS 271/7 (46 Overs)
Another crazy over passes by. Australia get four from it. More importantly, Maxwell retains strike. They need just 21 from 24 now.
10:08pm: AUS 266/7; Overs 41-45 Highlights
This is turning out to be the most thrilling, dramatic finish of the World Cup so far. Maxwell is unable to run, is barely even walking. But he is still somehow putting them away. This is the most extraordinary display of human belief and resilience you can ever see. Australia just need 25 from 30 now.
9:41pm: AUS 232/7; Overs 31-40 Highlights
Maxwell is playing the innings of his life in Mumbai. He has made the most of the dropped catches and has raced away to 142 off just 99 balls to completely turn the tables and deflate the so-far spirited Afghan side. Cummins has given him superb support from the other end, keeping out everything when on strike. Maxwell is now hobbling from cramps but that hasn't stopped him from hitting fours and sixes at will. Australia now just 60 runs away from an incredible come-from-behind win.
8:56pm: AUS 169/7; Overs 21-30 Highlights
Glenn Maxwell is living a charmed life. Two dropped catches, an LBW call that was overturned on DRS and a few more close shaves later, Maxwell is still in the middle and keeping Australia alive. His partnership with captain Cummins has taken the Aussies closer to the target. But Afghans must believe they are just one wicket away from aschendancy again.
8:12pm: AUS 98/7; Overs 11-20 Highlights
Afghanistan are rampant. They are all over Australia and have put themselves in a winning position. Talismanic Afghan all-rounder Rashid Khan has backed up the medium pacers' efforts with an inspired spell of spin bowling to leave the Aussies seven down. With over 190 to get and just three wickets remaining, it looks more about the margin of win than a win for Afghanistan, at the moment. What's more, if they restrict Australia to 171 or below, they will go past Pakistan's net run rate.
7:21pm: AUS 52/4; Overs 1-10 Highlights
It's all happening in Mumbai! The Afghanistan medium-pacers Naveen-ul-Haq and Azmatullah Omarzai have come out with a vengeance and found prodigious swing and seam movement to dismantle the Aussie top-order. Naveen accounted for Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh, and Azmatullah dismissed David Warner and Josh Inglis off successive balls to leave Australia in tatters. Can they keep up the good work to pull off a massive upset? Or will Australia mount a remarkable fightback to chase down 292?
ALSO READ: Zadran Becomes AFG's First WC Centurion
6:15pm: Australia Innings Begins
David Warner takes strike against Mujeeb Ur Rahman to start things off in the second innings. Warner cracks one through the covers off the very first ball to signal his intent, but Mujeeb fights back well to bowl five dot balls after that.
5:40pm: AFG 291/5; Overs 41-50 Highlights
Afghanistan have finished on a high in Mumbai. Zadran got to a superb hundred and Rashid Khan scored an 18-ball 35 as the Afghans added 96 runs in the last 10 overs to reach a total of 291. The Aussies will come hard at them but this may not be a very easy chase. Stay tuned.
4:43pm: AFG 195/3; Overs 31-40 Highlights
Skipper Hashmatullah built a 50-plus partnership with the set Zadran before Starc cleaned him up with a searing yorker. Nevertheless, the Afghans are still going steady and now finding the fence with more regularity too. Azmatullah Omarzai has walked in and started hitting the big ones right away. Meanwhile, Zadran is nearing a well-deserved hundred. The duo might cut loose in the death. Fun times ahead.
4:05pm: AFG 142/2; Overs 21-30 Highlights
After an 83-run stand, Rahmat Shah departed in the quest for quick runs. He holed out at long-off after scoring a 44-ball 30. Meanwhile, Zadran has carried on and is looking set for a big one. He has been joined by skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi at the crease. The duo now looking to up the tempo.
3:30pm: AFG 99/1; Overs 11-20 Highlights
Afghanistan are holding their own quite nicely here. Zadran has strung together a good partnership with Rahmat, and has also got to his half-century along the way. The run-rate is still hovering under the 5 runs per over mark, but the fact that the Afghans have lost just one wicket in the first 20 overs augurs well for a possible onslaught here. Can they make the Aussies wilt in the Mumbai heat?
2:49pm: AFG 46/1; Overs 1-10 Highlights
The Afghanistan batters have shown admirable confidence while negotiating the new ball against Australia's renowned speedsters. Both openers were finding the gaps through the off side routinely and looked to be setting a solid foundation, before Josh Hazlewood sent back Gurbaz. The right-hander had himself to blame as he hit a pick-up shot straight to deep midwicket, and was aghast at what he had done. Rahmat Shah now at the crease alongside Zadran.
2:01pm: Play Underway
Afghanistan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran are out in the middle and left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc has the brand new cherry in hand for Australia. Starc starts things off with a bunch of full and away-swinging deliveries, beating Zadran all ends up with a beauty on the third ball.
1:54pm: Anthem Time
Time now for the national anthems of the two teams.
1:37pm: Line-ups
Australia (Playing XI): Travis Head, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Pat Cummins (C), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
Afghanistan (Playing XI): Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq
1:35pm: Steve Smith Not Playing
Steve Smith is not playing this game as he failed a fitness test on the morning of the game.
1:33pm: Toss Update
Afghanistan have won the toss and chosen to bat first.
1:10pm: Sachin Meets Afghans
Earlier in the day, the Afghanistan team met the great Sachin Tendulkar and presented him handcrafted Afghan shawl, saffron as a token of their love and respect
12:47 PM: Weather Update
The weather in Mumbai is expected to be very hot, which could be a challenge for the players. Expect a maxium temperature of around 37°C with 35% humidity. But there is negligible chance of rain.
12:38 PM: Head-to-head
Australia have faced Afghanistan in three ODI matches so far and all three were won by Australia. In the ODI World Cup, the teams have clashed in two games and Australia won both games.
12:30 PM: Preview!
Both Australia and Aghanistan have a chance to make it to the semi-finals of the competition, with the former much liklier to cruise into the next round compared to the latter. Australia are third in the table, behind the already qualified India and South Africa, while Afghanistan linger on the peripheries of the top-four battle, fighting for the last spot - or even third if Australia slip up - against New Zealand and Pakistan. Follow this space for all the live updates from the match!
Australia head into the match comfortable in third place with 12 points and five wins in their last five games. The five-time World Cup winners are growing into the tournament with each passing game, proving, on both ends of the pitch, why they are the most feared side in its history.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, stand on the cusp of history - but are not guaranteed to cross the threshold yet. They are outsiders in the top-four battle, with seasoned teams Pakistan and New Zealand ahead of them marginally, and will need to be at their absolute best in these next few games to make it to the semis.
Squads:
Australia: Pat Cummins (C), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa.
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Noor Ahmad, Ikram Ali Khil, Fazal Farooqi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Naveen-ul-Haq, Reyaz Hassan, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Azmat Omarzai, Abdul Rahman, Rahmat Shah, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Najib Zadran, Ibrahim Zadran.
