The 2023 ODI World Cup final was one of the greatest upsets in the history of the tournament, and while Travis Head walked away with the plaudits for a nerveless, counter-attacking hundred in the chase, the turning point, in many ways, was Glenn Maxwell dismissing a rampant Rohit Sharma for a 31-ball 47 before the Powerplay as over.
The wicket sucked out all the momentum from the Indian innings and from being 80/2 in 10 overs, the hosts could only manage 240 after 50.
Come the 2026 T20 World Cup, also in the subcontinent, Maxwell is keen to have a similar impact, with the new ball, on pitches conducive to spin bowling.
“I think in the subcontinent, you might be able to get a little bit more out of it as a spinner early on,” Maxwell told reporters in Cairns, where Australia are set to face South Africa in a T20 series decider on Saturday.
“Especially that new ball, the hard seam, being able to grip on those dry surfaces. So it might be something we think about.”
In the two matches so far in the series, he has bowled two overs each inside the six-over Powerplay, taking three wickets.
“I love getting wickets. It’s very surprising anytime I get anyone out. I’m there to do a job in the Powerplay and I’m trying to execute that as well as I can,” he said.
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‘I’m filling holes at the moment’
After announcing his retirement from ODIs, Maxwell is now a one-format player and next year’s tournament in Indian and Sri Lanka may be the 36-year-old’s last chance to add more silverware to a career that already has two 50-over World Cup crowns and one in the 20-over format.
Maxwell has played some of the most memorable innings for Australia in white-ball cricket, and is keen for some more before he hangs up his bat. But there is no fixed number for him in the batting order. He came out at No.7 in the first game against the Proteas and at No.5 in the second, after opening the batting during much of the recent T20 series in the Caribbean.
“I’ve been a bit of a shuffler around the order, up and down,” Maxwell said. “I’m filling holes at the moment.”
His spot in the batting line-up is dependent on what his role in the side is, on a game-by-game basis.
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“Even during the West Indies series, trying to combat Akeal Hosein (by) going up the top, this series going a little bit lower, trying to manage that back end (of the innings).
“(I’m) trying to play whatever role is needed for me in this side and just try and be as adaptable as possible,” the maverick cricketer said.
