Are you not entertained? A day in cricket which we will all look back and think, did that really happen? Well, today it was Glenn Maxwell’s world and we are all living in it. With no feet, with a bruised back and an exhausted body, the Big Show put on the greatest show tonight at the Wankhede. Tough luck for the Afghans, their race is almost run for this World Cup but they can hold their heads up high. How far have they come from the timid team that took the field at the 2015 World Cup. For Australia, they will believe the sky is the limit, especially if they can win with barely mobile players. They setup a semi-final clash against South Africa. That's all from this game that felt straight out of a Rohit Shetty film. This is Saurabh Shankar signing off on behalf of Akshay Maanay, Ramakrishnan MS, Pradeep Krishnamurthy and Praveen.
Pat Cummins | Australia captain: Ridiculous. Don't know how to describe it. Great win! It has got to be the greatest thing that has ever happened. One of those days people will say yeah, I was at the stadium for this game. He (Maxwell) was great, he was calm. He always had a plan. Even from 200 behind to be able to win the game that way, it was really special. (On whether Maxwell wanted to walk off) We had two NSW players lining up, Zampa was on and off three times, but Maxi wanted to stay out there. It is important to remember you can win from anywhere. Real belief in the team and we are in the semi-finals now, that's great. (On what they could do better) Don't think it is the time and the place, I'm going to pause that. I think the toss is a bit tricky out here, the first 20 overs are key. Obviously there are things we could have done better.
Hashmatullah Shahidi | Afghanistan captain: Very disappointed. Cricket is a funny game, it was unbelievable for us. We were in the game, our bowlers started very well and the dropped chances hurt us. After that, Maxwell doesn't stop, he played every kind of shot and I can give credit to him. I think the dropped catches were the key, after that Maxwell played really well. Our bowlers tried their best but he didn't give any chance to us. Proud of the team, but we will be disappointed tonight. We didn't think it would be this way, part of the game. This is cricket. We will try to come back strong against South Africa. He (Ibrahim Zadran) must be proud of himself, I am also proud that he is the first Afghan with a WC hundred.
Lowest strike-rate in a WC innings (min 10 runs scored) 16.43 - Jack Heron (ZIM) vs WI, Worcester, 1983 17.64 - Pat Cummins (AUS) vs AFG, Mumbai WS, 2023 18.18 - Mehmood Quaraishy (EAf) vs NZ, Birmingham, 1975 20 - Christopher Chappell (CAN) vs PAK, Leeds, 1979 This was the highest successful ODI run-chase at this venue and the highest ever for Australia in World Cups.
Stats courtesy Roshan Gede
Most sixes in a WC innings 17 - Eoin Morgan (ENG) vs AFG, Manchester, 2019 16 - Chris Gayle (WI) vs ZIM, Canberra, 2015 11 - Martin Guptill (NZ) vs WI, Wellington, 2015 11 - Fakhar Zaman (PAK) vs NZ, Bengaluru, 2023 10 - Glenn Maxwell (AUS) vs AFG, Mumbai WS, 2023
Fastest double hundreds in ODIs (by balls) 126 - Ishan Kishan (IND) vs BAN, Chattogram, 2022 128 - Glenn Maxwell (AUS) vs AFG, Mumbai WS, 2023 138 - Chris Gayle (WI) vs ZIM, Canberra, 2015
Highest score for a non-opener in ODIs 201* - Glenn Maxwell (AUS) vs AFG, Mumbai WS, 2023 WC 194* - Charles Coventry (ZIM) vs BAN, Bulawayo, 2009 189* - Viv Richards (WI) vs ENG, Manchester, 1984 185 - Faf du Plessis (SA) vs SL, Cape Town, 2017 Previous WC record: 181 - Viv Richards (WI) vs SL, Karachi, 1987
- Previous highest from No.6 or below in ODIs: 175* - Kapil Dev (IND) vs ZIM, Tunbridge Wells, 1983 WC.
Highest partnerships for 7th wicket or below in ODIs 202* - Glenn Maxwell & Pat Cummins (AUS) vs AFG, Mumbai WS, 2023 WC 177 - Jos Buttler & Adil Rashid (ENG) vs NZ, Birmingham, 2015 174* - Afif Hossain & Mehidy Hasan Miraz (BAN), Chattogram, 2022 162 - Michael Bracewell & Mitchell Santner (NZ) vs IND, Hyderabad, 2023 Previous record for 8th wicket or below in ODIs: 138* - Justin Kemp & Andrew Hall (SA) vs IND, Cape Town, 2006
Highest individual scores in World Cups 237* - Martin Guptill (NZ) vs WI, Wellington, 2015 215 - Chris Gayle (WI) vs ZIM, Canberra, 2015 201* - Glenn Maxwell (AUS) vs AFG, Mumbai WS, 2023 188* - Gary Kirsten (SA) vs UAE, Rawalpindi, 1996 183 - Sourav Ganguly (IND) vs SL, Taunton, 1999
Highest individual scores in an ODI run-chase 201* - Glenn Maxwell (AUS) vs AFG, Mumbai WS, 2023 WC 193 - Fakhar Zaman (PAK) vs SA, Johannesburg, 2021 185* - Shane Watson (AUS) vs BAN, Mirpur, 2011 183* - MS Dhoni (IND) vs SL, Jaipur, 2005 183 - Virat Kohli (IND) vs PAK, Mirpur, 2012 Previous WC record: 158 by Andrew Strauss (ENG) vs IND, Bengaluru, 2011
Most sixes in World Cups 49 - Chris Gayle 45 - Rohit Sharma 43 - Glenn Maxwell 37 - AB de Villiers 37 - David Warner
Highest individual scores for Australia in ODIs 201* - Glenn Maxwell vs AFG , Mumbai WS, 2023 WC 185* - Shane Watson vs BAN, Mirpur, 2011 181* - Matthew Hayden vs NZ, Hamilton, 2007 179 - David Warner vs PAK, Adelaide, 2017 178 - David Warner vs AFG, Perth, 2015 WC
Glenn Maxwell | Player of the Match - It was hot while fielding today, I haven't done a lot of exercise in the heat, it got a hold on me today. I wanted to stay back and get some movement (on my legs). Not too much (when asked about plans at 92/7), just stick to the batting plans as much as possible, for me, still be positive, still look to play my shots, that LBW, it was going just above (the stumps), probably that made me be more proactive. A hint of swing and nip (off the surface), as it happens here under lights, they bowled beautifully to exploit that. It would have been nice if it was a chanceless knock, but I had my chances, to make the most of it tonight was something I can be proud of. Amazing, after the first two games, people were quick to write us off. The belief was always there (as a team), after today, it would have gone a bit higher.