‘Different formats of the game and stages of the game require different footwork.’
Batting great Sachin Tendulkar was in awe of Glenn Maxwell’s incredible knock against Afghanistan in the World Cup match at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday, saying while cramps severely affected the Australia batter’s footwork, great hand-eye coordination and exceptional bat speed helped him score a magnificent double hundred.
Maxwell conjured up a magical unbeaten 201 off 128 deliveries to single-handedly chase down a target of 292 after Australia were reeling at 91 for 7 at one stage.
During the course of his glorious knock, he suffered serious cramps and was struggling to stand on his feet at one point.
With no runner allowed in the sport anymore, the Royal Challengers Bangalore star bravely fought through the pain and played on one leg, using his strong core and stable base to smoke the ball clean into the stands, leaving the spectators speechless.
“Life and cricket have many parallels. Sometimes, like a spring, what pulls you back is also what propels you forward,” wrote Tendulkar on ‘X’.
“During yesterday’s game, @Gmaxi_32’s cramps constrained his footwork. He had to stay put at the crease, but that enabled him to have a steady head, watch the ball closely and let his hand-eye coordination do the work, backed by exceptional bat speed.
“Different formats of the game and stages of the game require different footwork. And sometimes, no footwork becomes great footwork too,” he added.
Maxwell was making his return to the playing eleven after briefly missing out on the clash against England, as he suffered bruises and concussions after falling off a golf cart.
Nonetheless, he continued his imperious form, emerging as the side’s second-highest run scorer in this competition.
Maxwell, who recorded the fastest hundred in World Cup history during their match against the Netherlands, has so far scored 397 runs in seven outings, at an average of 79.40 and strike rate of 152.69.
- World Cup 2023
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