2023 World Cup top run-getters and wicket-takers after Australia vs Afghanistan match (Updated) ft. Glenn Maxwell and Ibrahim Zadran

Australia booked their semi-final berth in the ICC 2023 World Cup thanks to Glenn Maxwell. The dynamic batsman's warrior-like knock, while battling with injuries, stole a near-impossible win for his team over Afghanistan, by three wickets at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday, November 7.

On a good batting track, Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first. Openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadram survived the testing phase in the initial five overs from Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

The duo punished the poor balls, delivering them to the fence, with Starc conceding 19 runs in his first spell of three overs. Later, Gurbaz played a loose shot, giving an easy catch to Starc at the personal score of 21, which he scored with the help of two boundaries.

Nevertheless, Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah played some good shots to forge a disciplined 83-run partnership for the second wicket. The latter was dismissed by Maxwell on 30. During the course of the partnership, Ibrahim reached his 50 in 62 balls.

Zadran held one end firm to add 52 runs for the third wicket with skipper Shahidi, who was sent packing on 26 runs. The next man in, Azmatullah, played a quickfire knock, smashing two sixes and a four, racking up 22 runs off 18 balls to put the side in a competitive position.

In the 44th over, Ibrahim reached his much-deserved century off 131 balls, becoming the first Afghan batter to score a World Cup hundred. In the death overs, Rashid Khan displayed his heroics with the bat, hitting 35* off 18, laced with two fours and three sixes.

Ibrahim Zadran remained unbeaten, hammering 129 runs off 143 deliveries, featuring eight fours and three sixes. Eventually, Afghanistan ended with 291/5 in 50 overs. Hazlewood bagged two crucial wickets with Starc, Maxwell, and Adam Zampa picking up one apiece.

In the chase, seamers Naveen-ul-Haq and Azmatullah Omarzai wreaked havoc under lights as Australian batters gasped for breath. Travis Head was the first batter to depart for a two-ball duck, dismissed by Naveen.

A few overs later, explosive batter Mitchell Marsh was caught plumb in front of the wickets by Naveen for 24 off 11, including two fours and as many sixes. Azmatullah used the new ball perfectly well, dismissing David Warner and Josh Inglis on back-to-back deliveries to put the Aussies in a precarious position at 49/4 in 8.2 overs.

Marnus Labuschagne, who was well set, had to depart after Rahmat Shah's accurate throw hit the stumps directly. Following that, Rashid Khan joined the action by getting Marcus Stoinis out leg-before-wicket with a mere six runs to his name.

However, everything wasn't going well for Afghanistan as they were sloppy on the field, dropping Maxwell twice, early in his innings. Maxwell stood between Afghanistan and victory as he found his lost rhythm, finding the fence quite frequently.

The 'Big Show' got to his half-century in 51 deliveries and maintained his dominance, effortlessly hitting spinners for sixes and fours to reach a century in just 76 balls.

Despite grappling with back spasms and cramps, he displayed exceptional determination, consistently scoring boundaries to keep his team in the game.

In the 42nd over, he reached the milestone of 150, basking in the applause at Wankhede. He made history as the first batsman to achieve a score of 150 or more while batting at the No. 5 position or lower in the history of ODIs.

Ultimately, Maxwell's mental resilience played a crucial role in guiding Australia to secure the victory with three wickets in hand. He concluded the innings with an impressive 201* from 128 balls, including 21 boundaries and 10 sixes. This triumph also secured Australia's qualification for the semi-finals.

After an incredible game, let's turn our attention to the standout performers in the ongoing World Cup 2023.

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2023 World Cup Most Runs List

2023 World Cup Most Runs List

South Africa's opener Quinton de Kock's red-hot form in the ongoing World Cup has earned him the leading position on the run-scoring charts. He has amassed 550 runs at an average of 68.85 with four centuries.

Former India skipper Virat Kohli continued his good form against South Africa to secure the second rank with 543 runs at a tremendous average of 108.6. The star batter has so far scored two centuries and four fifties in this campaign.

New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra holds on to the third position with 523 runs. Australia's opener David Warner failed to create an impact against Afghanistan, but he is occupying the fourth position after accumulating 446 runs.

India skipper Rohit Sharma is in the fifth slot, scoring 442 runs at an average of 55.25. Glenn Maxwell, with his monstrous knock, moved 30 places up to secure the sixth rank, racking up 397 runs. NZ all-rounder Daryl Mitchell descended to the seventh position with 375 runs.

Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran moved up 19 ranks to secure the 10th position with 361 runs from eight innings at an average of 51.57.

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2023 World Cup Most Wickets List

2023 World Cup Most Wickets List

Sri Lankan pacer Dilshan Madushanka retained his leading position on the wickets charts with 21 wickets from eight innings. Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa bagged a wicket against Afghanistan to maintain his second spot with 20 wickets.

South African all-rounder Marco Jansen occupied the third rank with 17 wickets. Indian ace pacer Mohammed Shami and Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi are holding the fourth and fifth positions respectively with 16 scalps each.

Indian bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Jadeja marked their presence at sixth and seventh positions with 15 and 14 wickets, respectively. Gerald Coetzee, Mitchell Santner, and Haris Rauf are next in the standings.