Maxwell hits miracle 200 as Aussies make World Cup semi

afr.com:

Glenn Maxwell has withstood an apparent back injury to produce the best knock by any Australian in ODI history, pulling the side from the brink of collapse with a double hundred to beat Afghanistan.

The miraculous three-wicket triumph in Mumbai on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT), which looked impossible when Australia fell to 7-91, confirms Pat Cummins’ men will face South Africa in the semi-finals next week.

Glenn Maxwell celebrates after hitting a six for the winning runs. Getty

“After (losing) the first two games, everyone was pretty quick to write us off,” said Maxwell, who finished unbeaten on 201.

“To come back and win six straight now is a great effort from this group. The belief is always there and to win a game like tonight, hopefully that belief spreads to the change room.”

His side well adrift of the 292 Afghanistan had set for victory, Maxwell partnered with Cummins (12no off 68 balls) to stage a rescue mission on return from a freak golfing accident that left him concussed last week.

Maxwell survived a dropped catch and successfully overturned the umpire’s call of lbw in the 22nd over and seemed to take the pair of near-misses as a sign to throw caution to the wind.

“I was very lucky and I suppose just made the most of that,” he said.

“(The lbw review) was probably the kickstarter I needed to tell myself, ‘I need to start playing some shots and be a bit more proactive’.”

Glenn Maxwell of Australia plays a shot as Ikram Alikhil of Afghanistan keeps. Getty

Shortly after bringing up his second century of the tournament in the 33rd over, Maxwell began battling a back problem that significantly hampered his ability to run.

But the Afghan attack, which had dismissed every other specialist batter for under 25 runs apiece,