Qualification: MA in Journalism & Mass Communication from University of Calcutta
It was the end of an era when Glenn Maxwell called time on his international career. The 38-year-old, who had represented Australia for 14 years in seven Tests, 149 ODIs and 130 T20Is, brought down the curtains on a stellar stint with the national side.
He was a brilliant fielder and more-than-useful bowler, but it was with the bat that Maxwell was superhuman. He has played knocks over the years that have left people wondering if he was an ordinary mortal. After all, the man was a deadly weapon with the willow in hand. He was the first man to score an ODI 200 as a non-opener and 2nd innings batter plus shares the record for most T20I 100s with Rohit Sharma .
Glenn Maxwell's International Report Card
With over 7000 international runs, Maxwell helped Australia win the ODI World Cup in 2015 and 2023. He also played a key role in the Aussies lifting the T20 World Cup trophy in 2021. It's a pity that he was not as consistent in Tests as he was in the white-ball formats. Now, with him having retired, it's another nail in the old guard's coffin for the six-time ODI World Cup winners.
What are the best knocks that Maxwell has played over the years. They have come across formats, and that is what makes him so versatile. So, what are his best knocks? Let's have a look:
Arguably the greatest ODI innings of all time. The fact that it happened in the World Cup makes it all more special. Set 292 to win, Australia were reeling at 91/7 when he put on an unbroken 8th wicket stand with Pat Cummins to win the game. Battling leg cramps and the heat, Maxwell overcame the odds to take his team across the line. At that time, it was the fastest ODI 200, and Maxwell was the first non-opener and 2nd innings batter to achieve the feat.
This knock established Maxwell as a T20I batter. His 65-ball knock powered Australia to 263/3, the highest T20I total at that time. His aggressive style of scoring runs showed that this man belonged in the shortest format. In the years to come, he would play more such knocks in T20Is, but this one stands out as his most lethal.
India set Australia a target of 223 and the latter had to win to stay alive in the series. Maxwell's 48-ball ton helped them win with no deliveries to spare and five wickets to spare. It was a brutal knock as India had no clue where to bowl and what field to set. It was once again a reminder of the carnage Maxwell could unleash with the bat.
Australia needed 303 to win and were more or less done for at 73/5. But Maxwell had other ideas as he added 212 runs for the 6th wicket with Alex Carey. Australia won by three wickets and clinched the series 2-1. For Maxwell, it was a great turnaround as he helped his team win the game from a hopeless position.
The only Test 100 that Maxwell has scored came vs India. It involved a 191-run 5th wicket stand with Steve Smith to rescue the Aussies from a spot of bother. The match was eventually a draw, and Maxwell's knock was a crucial difference. It remains his only Test score above 50 in a career that fell way behind his ODI and T20I exploits.
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