Glenn Maxwell’s extraordinary double century, an exceptional 201 not out, propelled Australia to a remarkable victory against Afghanistan in the World Cup 2023, a match that unfolded in Mumbai.
While this performance has etched itself in cricket history as only the third double hundred in ODI World Cups, Sourav Ganguly, the esteemed former captain of Indian cricket team, and past president of the BCCI, refrained from declaring it the greatest ODI innings ever played.
Maxwell’s remarkable innings, constructed from a mere 128 balls, featured 21 boundaries and 10 sixes, single-handedly guiding Australia from a precarious position of 92 for 7 to chase down Afghanistan’s respectable total of 291. It joins the legendary ranks of Chris Gayle and Martin Guptill as one of the three double centuries in World Cups.
Cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar hailed Maxwell’s innings as the finest ODI performance he has witnessed, cementing its status as a classic. Maxwell displayed incredible determination, battling through severe cramps, and choosing to continue despite visible discomfort. This was an exhibition of commendable perseverance.
Maxwell’s explosive batting was complemented by a crucial partnership with Captain Pat Cummins, resulting in a match-winning eighth-wicket stand of 202 runs. Cummins and Ravi Shastri, the former coach of India, praised Maxwell’s innings as one of the greatest in ODI history.
However, Sourav Ganguly, currently the Director of Cricket at Delhi Capitals, refrained from labeling Maxwell’s knock as the greatest ODI innings of all time. He termed it ‘fantastic’ and acknowledged the tremendous situation Maxwell was in, battling cramps and adversity. Ganguly pointed out that players like Sachin and Virat have also played some incredible innings.
“No, no (would you rate this as the greatest innings in ODIs?). I have seen some fantastic innings from Sachin, from Virat. I have seen some fabulous innings. This is tremendous because of the situation he was in, because of the cramps, he couldn’t run,” said Ganguly.
