Follow UsThat’s how Australia’s skipper Pat Cummins began his press conference after his team won by three wickets in one of the most dramatic comebacks ICC Cricket World Cups have ever seen. Glenn Maxwell polished off 201* off just 128 balls in a chase of 292 after his team was seven down for just 91 runs, and remarkably, at least half, if not more, of that came on a single leg as Maxwell was badly cramping through the most part of his innings. However, incredulously, he kept finding the boundary ropes and also went over them 10 times during his record-shattering innings.
“...all the players, we’ve decided it's one of those days where you just go, I was there in the stadium the day Glenn Maxwell chased down that total by himself,” Cummins said, remarking on how the dressing room reacted to Maxwell’s innings yesterday.
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Pat Cummins joined Maxwell when Australia were 7 down chasing 292, and the target was looking like a far-off possibility at that stage with the Afghan bowlers totally on top of the Kangaroos. They had to bide out their time, and once the pitch got easier, they could capitalise on the good batting conditions that are always dished out at the Wankhede. That’s exactly what Cummins conveyed to Maxwell as well when they talked at the beginning of their 202* run partnership.
“Initially, when I walked out there, we thought the mystery spinners were the biggest trouble. The ball was still spinning a little bit, and they were bowling really well. For me, it was just basically hanging in there. Maxie was still scoring quite freely. We knew it was the kind of wicket that gets easier. Didn't really feel like run rate was ever going to be an issue with Maxie still at the crease. So, for me, it was just about basically survival and just hoping we get a look at some of the other bowlers that maybe that wicket doesn't suit as much. So, it was a pretty simple plan. Didn't look too far ahead.”
“Don’t look too far ahead” is what they planned. In fact, Australia only started thinking about the victory “literally within the last 20 minutes”. But Maxwell is not like that while batting. In Cummins’s words, he’s “always plotting his way to a win”.
While Maxwell was plotting for the win by being belligerent against the Afghan spinners, who were the major threat yesterday (November 8) in the middle overs, Cummins batted like the perfect anchor, keeping his end safe and secure to ensure no further wickets to Afghanistan. He batted for 68 balls but scored only 12 runs. The remaining all was scored by one man alone.
“I think even 200 runs out, he was kind of mapping out how he was going to do it. I was just trying to survive.” Cummins said in his innings. While trying to survive, he knew “run rate was never going to be a problem when he’s [Maxwell] at the crease.”
After that, not only run rate wasn’t a problem, but Australia started dominating the Afghan spinners, which no team has done in this World Cup with such panache. Cummins called Maxwell a “freak” for his one-man show.
“...it's just a one-man show. It's just like, it looks so easy. I'm up the other end, and I don't see any gaps in the field I don't see where I'm going to score a boundary, and it seems like every time, he sees that, he just runs away for four. Yeah, he still can't move and still manages to hit a six off the third man with reverse – he’s a freak; he hits into different areas, and again, he makes it look so easy. And when you're up against someone like that as a bowler, you just, you don't have many options.”
Meanwhile, the crowd that was supporting the Afghanistan team for the major part of the game shifted its allegiance very quickly towards Maxwell when he started cramping up and began his one-legged batting masterclass. It didn’t escape the notice of the Australian captain, who during most of those moments, was just busy clapping for Maxwell with his gloves on along with the crowd.
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“...the crowd's normally on Maxie’s side whenever he's playing over here. Yeah, you could hear it just getting louder and louder with each boundary, and I think as he started not moving his feet and still scoring boundaries. You can hear them start going crazy. Yeah, awesome crowd today.” Cummins observed.
When asked about Maxwell’s cramps and if they can affect his health, Cummins said, “He's happy. Just cramp. I think that's the main thing. I think his back was cramping pretty early on. Felt tight, and then just hamstrings and calves. For one over, he said his toe was gone. So, I'm sure it will be fine, plenty of hydration, he'll be in the ice bath, I'm sure, but I'm sure you'll be very satisfied, and it will be okay.”
With this win, Australia have now qualified for the semifinal stage and will meet Bangladesh on November 11 in their last league game of this World Cup.