Someone has woken up Australia. The imposter, who was playing wearing the Australian shirts, has been bid goodbye as the five-time champion monsters took centre stage in the Indian capital on Wednesday, October 25. Australia gave a 309-run humbling to the Netherlands in their fifth ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 match in Delhi after posting a humongous score of 399, their 8th 350-plus total in the tournament history owing to David Warner's second consecutive century and Mad Max Glenn Maxwell's 44-ball 106.
Maxwell came in to bat at the start of the 39th over but only faced his first delivery in the 41st and then began a show for the ages. A six here, a couple of fours there, a few sixes there and the carnage just didn't stop. Skipper Pat Cummins became a spectator at the other end in a 103-run partnership off just 43 deliveries. Maxwell broke Aiden Markram's record of the fastest century in the tournament, which he achieved at this very ground earlier this tournament getting to three figures in just 40 balls, which was also the fourth fastest ton in ODI cricket.
It was a night that Maxwell won't forget anytime soon, especially after a poor start to the tournament coming off a massive injury threat. Everything went according to plan for Maxwell apart from the light show during the drinks break which has become a common feature at several venues in India in the ongoing World Cup. Maxwell admitted that it may be great for fans but it is really problematic for the players, as far as their concentration is concerned.
Asked why he was covering his head and eyes during the same at the press conference, Maxwell said, "I had something like that light show, a similar thing happened at Perth Stadium during a Big Bash game and I just felt like it gave me shocking headaches it takes a while for my eyes to readjust. I just think it is the dumbest idea for cricketers when you have got this thing coming at you quickly and your eyes take so long to adjust. I think we had just lost a wicket and the lights at Perth Stadium went nuts, I was at the other end and it took me ages to get my eyes to go again and felt like I had a headache so I just try and cover up as much as I possibly can and ignore it.
"It's a horrible horrible idea! Great for the fans, horrible for the players," he added.
Watch the video here (9:34-10:19):
However, his teammate and fellow centurion from the game, David Warner disagreed with Maxwell saying that they play for the fans and the light show was a great way to entertain them. "I absolutely loved the light show, what an atmosphere. It’s all about the fans. Without you all we won’t be able to do what we love," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Australia now have three wins in their kitty in five games and have found some really good form in the last three games as they give a final push to qualify for the semis.
