T20 WC: Glenn Maxwell ends drought with 59 versus Afghanistan
Albeit in a losing cause, Glenn Maxwell scored a fighting fifty against Afghanistan in the Super 8 Match 48 of the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup. Chasing 149 at the Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown, the Aussies suffered a batting collapse as Maxwell tried to rescue them with a 59-run knock. This was his first 30-plus score in his last 14 T20 outings.
A fighting knock from Maxwell
Maxwell arrived with the scorecard reading 16/2. The team was further reduced to 32/3. The dasher then dominated a 39-run stand with Marcus Stoinis (11) to rescue his team. However, he did not get any potent partner thereafter. Maxwell, nevertheless, continued to fight alone. He eventually fell to Gulbadin Naib in the 15th over. Australia were folded for 127 in 19.2 overs.
Third T20 WC fifty for Maxwell
Maxwell, who scored a 41-ball 59, hit six fours and three sixes. This was his third T20 WC fifty as he raced past 500 runs (now 558) in the competition at 27.90 in 30 games. He has tallied 112 runs at 28 in the ongoing event. As mentioned, he touched the 30-run mark for the first time in his last 14 T20 innings.
Second successive fifty against Afghanistan
Maxwell has raced to 113 runs across two T20Is against Afghanistan as he slammed fifties in both outings. Overall, he has raced to 2,580 runs in 112 T20Is at 30. His strike rate reads 154.67 (50s: 11, 100s: 5). The veteran went past 500 (now 525) T20I runs in neutral venues at 22.82. Maxwell has also completed 9,815 T20 runs at 27.57.
How did the game pan out?
Though both Afghanistan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz (60) and Ibrahim Zadran (51) hammered fifties, they couldn't accelerate even after getting settled. The Aussie bowlers pulled things back toward the end as Afghanistan finished at 148/6. Australia fell well short of the target thanks to Gulbadin Naib (4/20) and Naveen-ul-Haq (3/20). Maxwell was the only Aussie batter to touch the 13-run mark.
