“At night, whenever I’m going to sleep, sometimes I do think about that game.”
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan still has nightmares about final yr’s World Cup contest towards Australia at Wankhede Stadium – often known as Glenn Maxwell’s Mumbai miracle.
Australia was reeling at 7-91 in pursuit of a 292-run goal earlier than the Victorian smacked a record-breaking 201* from 128 balls to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, combining with captain Pat Cummins for an unbeaten 202-run partnership for the eighth wicket.
“It just comes in the mind. Sometimes when I think about that game, my body just changes,” Khan stated throughout a current interview with the ICC, twitching in his seat.
“That was an unbelievable knock, one of the best innings we have ever seen.”
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Afghanistan has by no means defeated Australia in any format after 5 encounters, with Maxwell that includes in every of them, together with his ODI debut in 2012. The 35-year-old averages 174.50 with a strike price of 169.41 towards Afghanistan, together with two fifties and his unforgettable double-century in Mumbai.
The two nations will lock horns but once more in a must-win T20 World Cup Super Eight contest at Saint Vincent’s Arnos Vale Ground on Sunday morning AEST – if Afghanistan loses, their marketing campaign is nearly actually over.
And with a spot within the semi-finals on the road, Maxwell shall be itching to produce one other nightmare-inducing efficiency with the willow.
“Hopefully there’s a few mental scars from the opposition’s side,” Maxwell declared whereas talking to ESPN’s Around The Wicket this week.
Spin bowlers have wreaked havoc on the Kingstown venue all through the continuing T20 World Cup, with deliveries turning between 5 to seven levels off the center of the floor, in accordance to Australian selector George Bailey.
“It feels like every ground has its different little idiosyncrasies,” Maxwell instructed reporters following Friday’s rain-affected victory over Bangladesh.
“It feels like you’re going to a completely different part of the world every ground you go to.”
Afghanistan will unleash a trio of world-class spinners for the Super Eight conflict towards Australia, with Big Bash League stars Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Noor Ahmad anticipated to create complications on the bowler-friendly deck.
Maxwell, thought-about one of many nation’s finest batters in spinning circumstances, due to this fact looms as an important determine for Australia forward of Sunday’s match, whereas his artful off-spin may additionally come in useful.
“I probably enjoy it when it’s a bit tough,” Maxwell stated this week, as reported by cricket.com.au.
“I think your skill can shine through on those tougher wickets. It’s not as easy as swinging through the line all the time. You’ve got to be smart and pretty adaptive to what’s in front of you.
“I think that sort of batting is so valuable in these conditions. The difference sometimes between 110 and 135 in some of those kinds of conditions. I feel like that’s where I can have my biggest impact.”
Pat joins Lee with World Cup Hat-trick! | 00:54
Maxwell’s kind got here below the microscope heading into the match – the right-hander registered 52 runs at 5.77 for the the Royal Challengers Bengaluru throughout the current Indian Premier League, throughout which he requested for himself to be dropped from the beginning XI as a result of he “wasn’t contributing in a positive way”.
But after beginning his T20 World Cup marketing campaign with a golden duck towards Oman, Maxwell started rediscovering his momentum throughout wins towards England and Bangladesh, scoring 28 and 14* respectively.
“It was nice to get out there and hit a couple,” Maxwell continued.
“I’ve felt pretty good throughout the entire tournament. I probably just haven’t quite nailed the starts.
“Tonight I just went in with the really clear mindset to be a little bit more proactive and a bit more trusting in my foundations.
“When I’m just looking at gaps in the field and adapting to what comes in front of me, I can get into my innings relatively comfortably.
“I think over the past few games I’ve been a little bit tentative, just been trying to poke one into the gap.
“At this stage in tournaments, I think I’ve just gone back to what I do really well and hopefully that holds me in good stead.”
Australia presently sits atop the Super Eight group’s standings, however a loss to Afghanistan would go away Mitchell Marsh’s males counting on different outcomes to qualify for the semi-finals.
The Super Eight match between Australia and Afghanistan will get underway on Sunday 10.30am AEST.
