Who said what - Top 5 expert reactions to Glenn Maxwell's 100 vs India in 3rd T20I ft. Matthew Wade
When it looked all glum for Australia in the third T20I in Guwahati, Glenn Maxwell did what he is best at. The all-rounder did the unthinkable, playing a blinder of a knock, leaving everyone shell-shocked.
Chasing a mammoth total of 223 runs against India, Australia were always in the game with the due setting in. Some pedestrian bowling and some calculative counter-attacking from the Aussie batters ensured the required run rate never climbed up to a daunting level.
Though there was a slump in the middle with a couple of wickets falling, Maxwell kept the momentum going.
With 43 runs required in the last two overs, Maxwell turned the game upside down, smoking boundaries for fun. With 21 runs to defend and only four fielders outside the ring, Prasidh Krishna tried everything to take India home. But it was Glenn Maxwell who came on top, giving his side a perfect parting gift before returning to Australia.
The Victorian remained unbeaten on 104 off 48 deliveries at a strike rate of 216.67, including eight sixes and boundaries each.
The innings drew the attention of many experts and former cricketers, who couldn't stop themselves from praising the masterclass of an innings from Maxwell.
In this article, we will list some of the top reactions to Glenn Maxwell's massacre at Guwahati.
#5 "Two magical knocks in India" - Irfan Pathan
Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan showered praise on Maxwell for playing a blinder of a knock on Tuesday. He also highlighted another freakish knock when he single-handedly won a lost battle against Afghanistan in the 2023 World Cup with a superlative double ton. Pathan also voiced his concern regarding Indian death bowling.
"Two magical match-winning knocks by Maxwell on Indian soil in the space of a few weeks are outstanding! India’s end-of-game bowling has a lot of concern. not because they leaked runs but were not able to hit the desired length. There's lots to work on going forward," Pathan wrote on Twitter.
#4 "Thanks for the entertainment" - Ravi Shastri
Glenn Maxwell, who played his last match on a long India tour on Tuesday, provided enough entertainment with both bat and bowl.
In his last outing, he fittingly scored the winning runs, not only scoring his fourth T20I ton but also gifting a famous victory to Australia.
Former Indian captain and coach Ravi Shastri thanked the Australian batsman for the entertainment.
"Safe travels, Maxy. Thanks for the entertainment. Brilliant," Shastri tweeted.
#3 "When he hits you despite good balls, you can't do anything" - Zaheer Khan
Zaheer Khan was in all praise for Glenn Maxwell's innings. He relished the fact that Prasidh Krishna, despite failing to defend 21 off the last over, does have the skill set to succeed in this format.
"The skillset is there (Prasidh Krishna); he just needs to revisit the mindset next time he comes to bowl in similar scenarios," Zaheer said during a discussion on Cricbuzz. "And despite bowling a good 18th over, when a batsman like Glenn Maxwell hits your good balls, you can't do anything."
#2 "Maxwell's staggering stroke-making is a rarity" - Parthiv Patel
Parthiv Patel also couldn't hide his excitement, describing the unorthodox cricketing shots Glenn Maxwell played during his 48-ball 104-run knock as staggering.
"When you're chasing a score like 223 runs, you need to have someone like Maxwell in the middle overs," Parthiv said on Cricbuzz. "I mean some of his shots were what I say, were staggering. Especially the ones which he reverse scooped over point and covers region."
#1 "Absolute clutch" Wasim Jaffer
Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer, who is known for his humorous takes on cricket stuff, took to social media to appreciate the efforts from both Centurion Gaikwad and Maxwell.
"Two super tons tonight, but Maxi yet again had an absolute clutch at the end. Well played, @Gmaxi_32," he tweeted.