Shoaib Akhtar expressed his admiration for Glenn Maxwell following his remarkable performance of 201 not out against Afghanistan on November 7, during the ODI World Cup. Maxwell's exceptional achievement, despite Australia's initial struggle at 91 for seven wickets while chasing a target of 292, left Akhtar in awe, as he deemed the feat nothing short of a miracle.
In the face of cramps, he remarkably struck 21 fours and 10 sixes, with his final six coming off the very last ball of the match. Achieving a double century in just 128 balls, he set the record for the highest individual score in a Cricket World Cup chase.
The event unfolded at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium in India. Maxwell's exceptional performance played a pivotal role in propelling Australia to a victory against Afghanistan, securing their spot in the tournament's semi-finals, alongside India and South Africa.
During a discussion on his YouTube channel, Akhtar lauded Maxwell's innings as nothing short of miraculous, emphasising that he had never witnessed anything of such kind before. The former Pakistan fast bowler tipped his hat to the all-rounder, recognising that he could have easily given up while struggling with cramps.
Akhtar suggested that Maxwell's determination was fueled by patriotism, emphasizing his commitment to assisting his team in clinching the victory.
"We saw a miracle. His legs and arms weren't working. Glenn Maxwell vs Afghanistan. It was 91 for seven. Then one guy, Glenn Maxwell. There were two dropped catches, he could have gone first ball. But what an unbelievable innings that he played for Australia. I haven't seen anything like this. I have been watching cricket for a number of years, but something like this, pulling it off with nobody behind him. He was just standing there and hitting sixes."
"Hats off to him. He could have gotten retired hurt or given up, but he didn't. It was true patriotism that was driving him that somehow Australia needed to get these two points. If they had lost this game, they would have been in big trouble," Akhtar said.
The unlikely win took Australia to third place, having won six straight in a row. They will now face South Africa in the semifinals.
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