Mumbai: In the match no 39 of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat.
Glenn Maxwell hammered Mujeeb Ur Rahman for three sixes and four as Australia chased the target with 19 balls and three wickets to spare.
Australia scored four runs in the 46th over and needed 21 runs from the last four overs.
Glenn Maxwell hit Naveen Ul Haq for a maximum on the first ball of the 45th over. He again took a single on the final ball and retained strike as the team from Down Under score seven runs.
Glenn Maxwell, who got a life early in the innings, was once again brutal on Azamatullah Omarzai, hitting him for two boundaries and six, a reverse sweep, as Australia scored 15 runs in it. Maxwell took a single on the last ball and retained strike. It is Australia's game to lose from here on.
Glenn Maxwell hit two boundaries in the 42nd over off pacer Azmatullah Omarzai as Australia scored seven runs in the over. The stand between Glenn Maxwell and Pat Cummins is the highest in the history of ODIs.
All action was happening in the middle. Glenn Maxwell fell down on the ground after completing a single and then the umpire tried to help him. The physio and couple of substitutes helped him. Afghanistan regrouped in the break. Adam Zampa walked down the stairs from the dressing room and was waiting near the boundary rope. Maxwell, was however, on his feet and play resumed.
There was no stopping Glenn Maxwell as he hammered two successive boundaries off pacer Naveen-Ul-Haq in the 40th over, in which Australia amassed nine runs. Maxwell is the is the third player to score two centuries in a World Cup edition batting at number five or lower.
Glenn Maxwell hammered Rashid Khan for a maximum on the first ball of the 39th over, but was seen in excruciating pain while running between the wickets. For now, it was Glenn Maxwell versus Afghanistan. Rashid Khan conceded seven runs in the 39th over. Australia needed 69 runs from 11 overs.
Naveen Ul Haq conceded only two runs in the 38th over. Now with Glenn Maxwell struggling with his fitness, Pat Cummins will have to shoulder more responsibility.
Glenn Maxwell was in his elements and sparred no Afghanistan bowler as he kept his side in the run chase. Pat Cummins was playing his role to perfection. Maxwell has so far hammered 13 fours and four maximum. Maxwell was brutal on Mohammed Nabi, hammering him for a four and six, as Australia amassed 11 runs from the 36th over.
Glenn Maxwell, who is batting on 109 and skipper Pat Cummins, who is 8 not out have so far added 104-run stand off 93 balls.The duo has brought the equation down to 97 runs needed off 16 overs.
It was Glenn Maxwell show as he completed his century in just 76 balls and has kept Australia in the run chase. Australia need 106 runs from 106 balls.
Glenn Maxwell with his power-hitting has kept Australia in the run chase. However still it the task is uphill for the team from Down Under. After 30 overs, Australia poised at 169/7 and still needed 123 runs from 120 balls.
Glenn Maxwell brought up his fifty and is taking the game deep in the company of skipper Pat Cummins. Maxwell is up against the Afghanistan spinners.
Glenn Maxwell is one of the best all-rounders in the world. But it will require something really special to pull off a win from the current situation.
Rashid Khan struck once again. This time he removed Mitchell Starc (3). The credit must be given to stumper Ikram Alikhil took a stunning catch. Afghanistan was just three wickets away from registering their fifth win of the marquee tournament.
Afghanistan's spin sensation Rashid Khan joined the party as he trapped Marcus Stoinis (6 off 7 balls) in front of the wickets as Australia lost their sixth wicket for just 87. Stoinis fell to Rashid's wrong'un and he completely missed it.
7.43 pm
Marnus Labuschange (14 off 28 balls) was run out in the 15th over as Australia lost half their side for just 69 inside 15 overs. Afghanistan was clearly on the top and the team was on its to create the biggest upset of the ongoing World Cup.
The Afghan pacer duo of Naveen-Ul-Haq and Azmatullah Omarzai wreaked havoc inside the first 12 overs. Is another big upset, perhaps the biggest upset of the World Cup on the cards?
Marnus Labuschange and all-rounder Glenn Maxwell have a difficult task at hand. They still need 240 runs for a win and qualify for the semi-finals.
Right-arm medium pacer Azmatullah Omarzai then cleaned up a rusty David Warner (18 off 29 balls). Azmatullah kept troubling Warner and eventually dismissed the star Australian opener. On the next ball, he send Josh Inglis back, as the Inglis was caught in the slip cordon.
Australia is on the verge of completed the team fifty. It is an uphill task for Warner and Marnus and if they chase, this will be the highest total chased at the Wankhede Stadium.
- 6.47 pm
Naveen Ul Haq was breathing fire as he trapped Mitchell Marsh in front of the wickets as Australia lost their second wicket for 43. Marnus Labuschange joined in the middle. - 6.42 pm
The early fall of a wicket has not stopped David Warner and Mitchell Marsh from playing their shots. While Marsh has so far hit one boundary and one six, Warner is also in his elements. - 6.23 pm
In pursuit of 292, Australia lost their opener Travis Head (0) cheaply in the second over. He edged to Ikram Akhil off pacer Naveen-Ul-Haq as the Afghanistan players celebrated the key wicket. All-rounder Mitchell Marsh joined David Warner as the duo would look to steady the Australian ship. - 5.44 pm
Rashid Khan blazed his way to an unbeaten 18-ball 35 and his quick-fire 58-run unbroken stand in just 28 balls with Ibrahim Zadran took Afghanistan to a challenging 291/5. Rashid hit two fours and three sixes, while centurion Ibrahim's Zadran knock was laced eight boundaries and three maximums. - 5.31 pm
Ibrahim Zadran and Rashid Khan were taking on Australian bowlers with gusto. Rashid was his shots at will, while Ibrahim Zadran also upped the ante after reaching the magical mark. - 5.10 pm
Ibrahim Zadran completed his hundred on the final ball of the 44th over by running two runs. He completed his sixth ODI hundred. Ibrahim Zadran becomes the first Afghan batter to score a World Cup century and the right-handed batter will cherish it for a long time. - 5.00 pm
Australia grabbed two quick wickets - skipper Hashmat Shahidi (26) and Azmatullah Omarzai (22). However, Ibrahim Zadran was going strong from one end. - 4.46 pm
Ibrahim Zadran has moved into the 90s and is inching closer to a very special hundred at the Wankhede Stadium. He was ably supported by his skipper Hashmat Shahidi, who was playing perfect second fiddle. - 4.32 pm
Ibrahim Zadran has moved into his 80s, but the Australian bowlers are bowling in the right areas and so the duo is unable to free their arms. - 4.18 pm
Afghanistan has crossed the 150-run mark, but the fall of Rahmat Shah has slowed the run-rate. The duo needs to up the ante if Afghanistan have to reach the 250-run mark. - 4.10 pm
Ibrahim Zadran is inching close to his century while Hashmat Shahidi is looking to settle himself. - 3.50 pm
Glenn Maxwell breaks the strong building partnership between Rahmat Shah and Ibrahim Zadran. The part-time off break bowler removed Rahmat Shah as Josh Hazlewood takes a comfortable catch. - 3.36 pm
Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah have added unbroken 73 runs for the second wicket even as the team reached the 100-run mark. They would be eyeing to atleast cross the 300-run mark. - 3.25 pm
Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran notched up his individual fifty as Afghanistan neared the 100-run mark. - 3.09 pm
Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran is nearing his individual fifty as the team is well poised to post a massive total on batting-friendly track at the Wankhede stadium. - 2.53 pm
Team fifty was up for Afghanistan as Ibrahim Zadran was going strong from one end even as Rahmat Shah was playing second fiddle. - 2.43 pm
Australia pacer Hazlewood sends back Gurbaz after the Afghanistan batter went for the pull shot which did not go well. - 2.30 pm
The Afghanistan batters have started increasing the run rate and are currently playing at a decent pace. - 2.18 pm
Afghanistan have managed to somehow keep the innings going without loosing wicket against some good bowling from Hazlewood and Starc. - 2.11 pm.
A slow and steady start for Australia as the Afghanistan openers are trying to settle in front on Australia quality pace bowling.
Australia: Travis Head, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wicket-keeper), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil (wicket-keeper), Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq
