The 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup has been some memorable individual batting performances. Glen Maxwell’s 201 against Afghanistan stands out as the innings of the 2023 tournament. Did Maxwell play the Best Innings in World Cup Cricket History?
This article will discuss and compare Maxwell’s innings with some of the other memorable innings played in the history of World Cups.
Presented By: Raghunath Nair
We at Super Sports have shortlisted 3 World Cup Innings from some of the best innings played in World Cup History
Before this World Cup, Kapil Dev’s Innings in the 1983 World Cup match against Zimbabwe and Kevin O’Brien’s Innings in the 2011 World Cup against England had to be the two best World Cup Innings.
Glen Maxwell’s inning now has to be added to this list as it is not just how many runs an individual scored but also in what circumstance did the score come to be given legendary status
Here’s a look at why these 3 Innings is different from the other great World Cup innings.
Kapil Dev’s 175 against Zimbabwe
In the 1983 Cricket World Cup, in a very important clash in the tournament, India was in trouble early. The seaming conditions helped the Zimbabwe bowlers to take 4 quick Indian wickets with 9 runs on the board.
Kapil Dev was the next man in after the initial 4 quick wickets. The Fifth wicket also fell in some time and India was staring at an embarrassing defeat at 17/5.
In what turned out to be one of India’s best ODI innings ever played, Kapil Dev took the long handle against the Zimbabwe bowling attack and played an aggressive brand of cricket. An imminent loss was staring at the Indian team, which was trigger enough for the Indian all-rounder to play ODI’s best innings. Kapil Dev was able to play his natural attacking game.
Kapil Dev scored 175 runs in 138 balls which was the highest ODI Score then. His mammoth Innings had 6 sixes and 16 fours. India managed to score 266 runs (which included Kapil’s 175 runs)
Kapil’s knock was the highest individual score at the number 6 position or lower till the current Glen Maxwell magic in the 2023 Cricket World Cup.
India went on to win the match and eventually the tournament beating the mighty West Indies in the finals.
Kevin O’Brien’s historic 113 against England
Ireland registered their maiden win over England in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.
Chasing England’s score of 327, Ireland’s chase was almost over when the score read 111/5.
At the crease was middle-order batsman Kevin O’Brien and his swashbuckling innings of 113 runs single-handedly took Ireland to their famous maiden victory against England. Ireland chased 328 runs when no one expected this.
Kevin scored his 50 in 30 balls and scored 100 in just 50 balls.
This was also the highest run chase in World Cup Cricket History till then.
Kevin O’Brien clubbed 6 sixes and 13 fours to power his side to victory with 329-7. The record beat Matthew Hayden’s record for the quickest World Cup century on the way.
Glenn Maxwell: 201* against Afghanistan
‘The Big Show’, Glen Maxwell played the innings of the 2023 World Cup against Afghanistan.
Chasing Afghanistan’s total of 291, a shocking loss was on the cards when the team was down 4 wickets for 49 runs.
The aggressive right-hander played the Afghanistan spinners at ease and scored 201 runs from 128 balls with 10 sixes and 21 boundaries.
The feat of the Australian is even more special because Maxwell was incapacitated due to severe cramps. He was unable to move his leg and for a long period during his mammoth innings, he only played for boundaries.
From a win prediction of 2 %, Australia was able to chase the target purely on the prowess of this Australian superstar.
Some of the records made by Maxwell on the way in this record innings
- Second Fastest double hundred in ODI
- Highest partnership for seventh wicket or lower in a men’s ODI
- Highest successful run chase for Australiain men’s Cricket World Cups
- Most hundreds when batting at No.5 or lower at Cricket World Cups
Super Sports View on Glenn Maxwell Innings
Afghanistan would have leapfrogged to a possible Semifinal berth with one more win post the Australian Clash. A loss to Afghanistan in this encounter would have derailed Australia’s campaign a bit and they would have opened the doors for multiple contenders for 3rd and 4th Semi-finals position. Till then only India and South Africa had qualified.
What makes Maxwell’s Innings to be considered amongst the best is the way the game was poised when the Australian came to the crease. Win Predictors were skewed towards an Afghanistan win till Maxwell had other plans.
Glen Maxwell was incapacitated due to cramps and he was literally static in the crease. He was in pain and his body was immobile. He played purely on his hand-eye coordination and hit shorts without any footwork. The Afghani bowler was unable to take any advantage of Maxwell’s Injury and the Big Show was able to play aggressive cricket and qualify his team to the Knockouts.
Maxwell’s Innings and Kapil’s Innings will be considered amongst the best as the non-striker’s end was hardly a contributor to the winning partnership.
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