While acknowledging the widespread admiration for his innings, Maxwell admitted that the physical toll it took prevents him from dwelling on it excessively.
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The previous encounter between these two sides, during the 2022 World Cup in India, etched itself into cricketing folklore. Afghanistan, opting to bat first, posted a formidable total of 291/5, propelled by Ibrahim Zadran‘s unbeaten century. Australia, in response, found themselves reeling at 91/7, staring at a heavy defeat.
However, what unfolded next showcased the resilience and championship pedigree of the Australian team. Maxwell, battling excruciating back pain and cramps under the scorching Mumbai sun, combined with captain Pat Cummins to orchestrate a miraculous escape.
While Cummins anchored the innings with an unbeaten 12, Maxwell unleashed a breathtaking display of power hitting, single-handedly guiding Australia to victory. His unbeaten 201, studded with 21 fours and 10 sixes, remains etched in cricketing memory as one of the greatest ODI innings of all time.
Despite the accolades and adulation that followed, Maxwell revealed a pragmatic perspective on his herculean effort. He acknowledged the impact his innings had on fans but confessed that the pain associated with it overshadows any nostalgic fondness.
“They (reporters) have not had a lot else to talk about in the last few months. I do find a lot of people will come up and (talk about) that innings during the World Cup, which is nice. It is nice to have been able to touch and affect so many people and hopefully inspire people to want to play the game,” Maxwell said, as quoted by ANI.
“But I have been able to park it and move on. Probably because it gave me so much pain – my body took so long to recover. I try not to think about it too much. Because that is the first thing I think about it, I associate it with pain,” he added.
Shifting focus to the upcoming T20 World Cup clash, Maxwell expressed his preference for challenging conditions in the shortest format. He believes that such situations allow his adaptable skillset to shine through, citing his recent 65-run partnership with Mitchell Marsh against England as a prime example.
“I probably enjoy it when it is a bit tough. I think your skill can shine through on those tougher wickets. It is not as easy as swinging through the line all the time. You have got to be smart and pretty adaptive to what is in front of you. That felt like the challenge of that England game where me and Mitch (Marsh) had to plan our way through and set it up for the back end. It was probably different to an extent where the openers went so well and got off to such a good start,” he added.
Maxwell emphasized the importance of calculated aggression and smart batting in navigating tricky wickets, explaining, “I think that sort of batting is so valuable in these conditions. The difference is sometimes between 110 and 135 runs in some of those kinds of conditions. I feel like that is where I can have my biggest impact.”