Champions Trophy 2025: After Mumbai mayhem, Glenn Maxwell and Afghanistan meet again

Glenn Maxwell and Afghanistan meet again (AFP Photo)

In the collective dismay over India’s loss to Australia in the 2023 World Cup final, one of the tournament’s truly heartwarming stories was almost forgotten. Afghanistan, who don’t even have a stadium to call home because of the volatile political situation in the country, beat three former world champions in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England to get themselves to the brink of a semi-final place.

For nearly 70 over against Australia, who had won the trophy on five previous occasions, that dream was very much alive. Needed 292 for victory, Australia slumped to 91/7 in front of a disbelieving crowd at the Wankhede Stadium. Had Afghanistan’s bowlers closed out the match, the massive boost to their net run-rate would almost certainly have sealed a semi-final spot.

Instead, they ran into Hurricane Maxwell. Having turned 35 during the tournament, the Australian was one of the game’s mercurial talents. In a career spanning over a decade and more than 120 ODIs, Glenn Maxwell had only ever scored two centuries. He boasted an eye-popping strike-rate, but consistency had never been his forte.

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That night in Mumbai, however, pretty much everything he tried came off. He started cramping up long before the end, but the restricted movement only seemed to give his shot-making more clarity. In all, he smashed 21 fours and 10 sixes in an astonishing 128-ball 201, with the second hundred needing just 52 balls. In a partnership of 202, Pat Cummins’ contribution was a meagre 12 (68 balls). Instead of one of the great World Cup upsets, Australia won with 19 balls to spare.

The two teams will meet again at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Friday, with a place in the Champions Trophy semi-final at stake. Afghanistan go into the match on the back of another famous victory, this time downing England by 8 runs. For them, the equation is very simple. Beat Australia, and they will be in another global semi-final. Lose, and they head home.

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The abandoned game against South Africa – who have a markedly better run-rate – has ensured that Australia need the win too. And given the opposition, it’s only natural that many eyes will be on Maxwell. In eight ODI innings since Australia’s World Cup win, Maxwell has made just 88 runs, with a highest score of 32 not out.

Normally, such a number would cheer the opponent. But in this case, once-bitten Afghanistan will be doubly wary of the Maxwell backlash.