In a remarkable display of determination, Glenn Maxwell battled severe cramps during Australia’s World Cup game against Afghanistan, aiding his team in securing a surprising victory. Despite enduring intense pain in Mumbai, Maxwell’s extraordinary double-century propelled Australia into the semi-finals, where they are slated to face South Africa.
Bowling coach Daniel Vettori shed light on Maxwell’s current status, emphasizing the all-rounder’s intensive recovery process.
“He’s definitely been in full recovery mode the last few days. We all saw the effects of the innings and in particular the heat,” Vettori stated.
As the team gears up for a crucial pool game in Pune, Maxwell’s absence from training in the past few days raises uncertainty about his participation against Bangladesh.
Vettori maintained that a fitness test would not be imposed on Maxwell for the upcoming match. “It’ll be how he feels,” Vettori remarked, underlining Maxwell’s history of swift comebacks after brief hiatuses from the game. With the semi-final looming on November 16 in Kolkata, the coaching staff plans to gauge Maxwell’s condition throughout the day, with a decision likely to be made tonight.
“Obviously we’ve had a couple of days off so there’s been no training. He’s not here today but we’ll just see how he feels as the day continues. It’s obviously been pretty hectic for him the last few days.”
He added,
“He does have a track record of being able to bounce back pretty quickly even with some time away from the game. So it’ll depend on how the day goes… Being a day game probably means tonight they’ll make the call.”
Bangladesh, already eliminated from semi-final contention, enters the match aiming to secure a top-eight spot for qualification in the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan. Coach Chandika Hathurusinghe acknowledged the enormity of facing Australia, the most successful team in World Cup history.
“They’re a good team, very professionally prepared and playing good cricket,” Hathurusinghe remarked, highlighting the challenge his team confronts.
The absence of skipper Shakib Al Hasan, replaced by Anamul Haque Bijoy due to a finger fracture sustained in the previous game against Sri Lanka, adds to Bangladesh’s challenges. Hathurusinghe expressed the difficulty in compensating for Shakib’s dual role as a top all-rounder and a leader.
“When you have someone of Shakib’s calibre, the number one all-rounder, it’s two players in one, so it’s hard to do much with the combination,” he lamented.
“So we’ll definitely want to fill the bowling vacuum with another spinner or fast bowler. It’s his batting we’re going to miss and his leadership.”
The team’s strategy now focuses on filling the void left by Shakib’s absence, particularly in batting and leadership.
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