Pune, Nov 9 – Australia head coach Andrew McDonald admitted he was thinking about Glenn Maxwell’s impact on the team’s net run rate during their come-from-behind three-wicket win over Afghanistan, and added that watching the astonishing 201 not out was an emotional rollercoaster for everyone.
Australia were reeling at 91/7 in a run-chase of 292 at the Wankhede Stadium, when Maxwell joined hands with Pat Cummins to put on a 202-run stand. The skipper contributed only 12 runs as Maxwell took centre stage, battled cramps in calf, shin, hamstring and toes while battling bad back to single-handedly win the match through smashing the greatest ODI innings of all time.
He also became the first non-opener in men’s ODIs to make a double hundred and the first men’s batter from Australia to score a double century in the format. “It was an emotional rollercoaster for everyone.”
“One of the conversations was, ‘What does this mean for net run rate’, and then as every run went forward and Glenn started to play some amazing shots, you sort of ebbed and flowed between ‘What does this mean for net run rate’ into just appreciating what was happening.”
“The creative genius of the innings was something to behold. I’m just glad I could say I was there on that night. He was cramping in (his) calf, hamstring, quads, abdominals, everywhere,” said McDonald on SEN Radio.
The three-wicket victory over Afghanistan also meant Australia sealed its place in the World Cup semi-finals. “The conditions were very hot during the day, to field in that sun takes a lot out of you and he bowled nine or ten overs as well. You put that all together and in a night session unfortunately once you start cramping it’s hard to get rid of them and get on top of it.”
“It almost derailed him completely as you saw when he was laying prone on the ground, it was looking like Adam Zampa was going to have to replace him. The ability to find a way, not run between wickets for a period of time, stand dead still and play the shots he did just adds another layer to what was an already ridiculous innings,” added McDonald.
Australia, the five-time champions, will hope to sign off from the league stage with a win when they face Bangladesh at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Saturday.